One more predator from the Felidae family – a black jaguar by nickname Bonya, enlarged the animal collection of Feldman Ecopark. It arrived from the Lviv zoo “Limpopo” from where zebra Martie moved to the Social and Humanitarian Multi-Complex. The exchange of rare fauna representatives takes place within the species conservation programme developed by the World Open Foundation for Animal Rehabilitation and Reintroduction (WOFARR).
“Bonya is 5 years old. Our Bagira is approximately of the same age. We plan that they’d like each other and after some time the number of black Jaguars in our animal collection will increase. Now the new settler accustoms on the new place. It feels fine after the journey, eats well —it eats 5 kg of fresh meat (beef or chicken meat) per day and 1 kg of an offal. Our veterinarians strenuously examine the state of health of an animal during the adaptation period. Bonya with Bagira can be soon seen together in the enclosure near bears” — the head of predator sector Feldman Ecopark Maxim Kutsenko told.
It should be noted that a jaguar is one of four species of panthers (big cats) living now on the planet and the only inhabitant of America among them. It is very similar to a leopard, but much larger in size. The Indian word Jaguar means “a beast beating at a bound”. This animal was honored and viewed as a symbol of might. A jaguar is registered in the IUCN Red List — this species is completely exterminated on a large part of the former area.
Besides, it should be noted that black color of panthers (jaguars and leopards) is an expression of melanism caused by a gene mutation. Except the coloration, black and spotty individuals of leopards and jaguars are no different; they freely mate and give prolific posterity. The gene of black color is recessive, while a spotty gene is often dominant, but in twilight of the dense jungle of Amazonia or India, it has the edge in a fight for survival.
It should be remind that except two melanist jaguars the animal collection of Feldman Ecopark has a black leopard Noir. It comprises about dozen of species of Felidae predators in total.
