The Zoo Announces the Arrival of Filly the Jaguar

Filly is estimated to be between 6-7 years old and arrived at the Belize Zoo in 2019 after being rescued as part of the Human Jaguar Conflict Program. She was identified as a conflict jaguar — a jaguar who has been reported to be preying on livestock. These are nearly always jaguars who are older, injured, or sick and unable to compete successfully with healthy jaguars for food and territory. In an attempt to reduce the number of jaguar killings, the Belize Zoo, in collaboration with the Belize Forest Department, began a program in 2003 to intervene on behalf of jaguars who were verified to be repeated livestock predators. After assessment and authorization, the cats are humanely trapped and safely transferred to the Belize Zoo.

MCZ was determined to be a good option for Filly due to mutual respect and trust with the Belize Zoo. The two Zoos have a longstanding conservation partnership dating back to the 1980s. MCZ’s male jaguar, Frankie, is the son of Pat, who arrived from the Belize Zoo in 2008 and was a conflict jaguar as well. MCZ and the Belize Zoo worked seamlessly to prepare for Filly’s transfer, a process that took 4.5 years to complete.

MCZ, together with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee and the Belize Zoo, drive conservation efforts in Belize with the Pat Gives Back program, named for Pat the Great Cat. The program focuses on capacity building, conservation and research, and community support. MCZ staff work yearly with the Belize Zoo to identify workshops, hold trainings, discuss veterinary techniques, and collaborate on conservation planning and evaluation.

“We are thrilled to collaborate once again with our partners at the Belize Zoo to bring Filly to Milwaukee,” Amos Morris, Milwaukee County Zoo executive director said. “We are proud to support the conservation efforts of the Belize Zoo and their commitment to the Jaguar Species Survival Plan. By bringing Filly to Milwaukee, we are also focused on the welfare and wellbeing of our male, Frankie. This also opens additional space for the Belize Zoo to continue to act as a haven for wild jaguars in need from human animal conflict.”

Filly was deemed to be a non-releasable jaguar and she will play an important role in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Jaguar Species Survival Plan® (SSP), a program dedicated to maintaining the genetic diversity and sustainability of jaguars in professional care. Jaguars in their natural range are considered Near Threatened by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Pairing Filly with Frankie has the potential to provide the population with new genes and increase the genetic diversity of the North American jaguar population.

Upon arrival at MCZ, Filly entered a quarantine period at the Animal Health Center before she will be moved to her habitat in Florence Mila Borchert Big Cat Country. The Zoo is excited to introduce her to guests at a later date.

We look forward to sharing more information here on our website soon. To learn more about Pat Gives Back, visit www.zoosociety.org/conservation/zoo-research-support/pat-gives-back-belize-conservation. For more about the Human Jaguar Conflict Program, visit www.belizezoo.org/human-jaguar-conflict-program.