North America's Best Jaguar Exhibits

snowleopard

snowleopard

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There are a number of zoos that keep these magnificent big cats in cramped, outdated enclosures (Omaha, Denver, Lincoln Park, etc) but at the same time I'd like to single out some highly impressive jaguar exhibits.

# 1- Jacksonville Zoo - Award-winning "Range of the Jaguar" has 8 of the cats, and two main exhibits that are visible to the public.

http://www.zoochat.com/574/range-jaguar-55135/
http://www.zoochat.com/574/range-jaguar-55150/
http://www.zoochat.com/574/range-jaguar-55169/
http://www.zoochat.com/574/range-jaguar-55157/


# 2- Woodland Park Zoo - Award-winning "Jaguar Cove" has 2 jaguars, a rotating male and female, in one exhibit.

http://www.zoochat.com/622/woodland-park-zoo-jaguar-cove-44417/
http://www.zoochat.com/622/woodland-park-zoo-jaguar-cove-44422/
http://www.zoochat.com/622/woodland-park-zoo-jaguar-cove-44420/
http://www.zoochat.com/622/woodland-park-zoo-jaguar-cove-44419/


3- Miami Metrozoo - Amazon & Beyond has two jaguar exhibits, and a male and female jaguar. There is a connecting area that can be utilized when it comes to mating season.

http://www.zoochat.com/581/amazon-beyond-55845/
http://www.zoochat.com/581/amazon-beyond-55856/

Although the viewing areas are at times pitifully small:

http://www.zoochat.com/581/amazon-beyond-55847/
http://www.zoochat.com/581/amazon-beyond-55857/

Other above average jaguar exhibits?

Oklahoma City Zoo:

http://www.zoochat.com/593/oklahoma-city-zoo-jaguar-exhibit-46094/

Palm Beach Zoo:

http://www.zoochat.com/595/jaguar-exhibit-tropics-americas-45076/
 
An interesting topic that hasn't been brought up too often. In the next few years zoos in Columbus, LA, and Nashville will be opening new state-of-the-art jaguar exhibits with their Tropical America section. San Diego is also opening up a new naturalistic enclosure next month with the new Elephant Odyssey.
 
Truly great pictures from truly great exhibits, guys!

Still - and not in North America - I think I like the jaguar exhibit at Chester even better, especially for the indoor enclosures. Though evidently the cats are not shifted between the to different habitats. I asked why somewhere here at ZooChat but did not get an answer. Anybody who knows about this and could tell me why?

Also, remember my thread?
http://www.zoochat.com/2/do-you-have-use-net-fenced-24698/

Sorry to "kidnap" the thread. It just reminded me of these things...
 
What is the problem with using net fencing to keep in big cats? It maximizes their use of the exhibit instead of having huge hideous walls and loads of undisguised hot wire. Do the cats mind at all? I don't think one bit.
 
I think that net fencing works well for many big cats, especially cougars and leopards that enjoy climbing trees and have fantastic jumping abilities. Jaguars are of course much heavier and stockier than many other cat species, but netted enclosures allow a lot of height to be accessed by the animals. The Jacksonville Zoo's "temple" jaguar exhibit is a great example of how height can be utilized in an enclosure.

The jaguars can climb quite high in this exhibit:

http://www.zoochat.com/574/range-jaguar-55150/
 
snowleopard said:
I think that net fencing works well for many big cats, especially cougars and leopards that enjoy climbing trees and have fantastic jumping abilities. Jaguars are of course much heavier and stockier than many other cat species, but netted enclosures allow a lot of height to be accessed by the animals. The Jacksonville Zoo's "temple" jaguar exhibit is a great example of how height can be utilized in an enclosure.

The jaguars can climb quite high in this exhibit:

http://www.zoochat.com/574/range-jaguar-55150/
Click to expand...


I generally agree that fully-netted enclosures make it much easier to create vertical climbing opportunities (no worries about jumping distances etc.) but I'm a little disappointed by how few trees or deadfall limbs are included in the center of the Jacksonville exhibits. There's lots of "air space," but not as much climbing furniture in the center of the exhibits as might be possible.

Still one of if not the best jaguar exhibit anywhere.
 
St Louis Zoo may be the biggest. Although it does not necessarily replicate the Amazon or any Latin American habitat, it is natural with trees and a large pool and completely open - no netting over the top (a plus for us photographers). When I was there in 1999, they alternated a typical jaguar in the morning and a black jaguar in the afternoon.

My home zoo (Reid Park - Tucson) has an average exhibit for two black females (see photo in Reid Park Zoo gallery). Good for climbing - they often hang out on top of the cliff (covered by mesh) and one likes to sleep on the end of a dead tree limb in mid-air with all four legs hanging down. Memphis Zoo has a similar sized exhibit with two black jaguars also (I believe one male and one female).

I haven't been there, but New Orleans opened a new one a few years ago that I suppose is pretty good. Cameron Park Zoo (Waco, Texas) also opened a new one a couple years ago in a new themed area for native Texas wildlife. Anyone seen it?
 
How large is St. Louis' enclosure?

Miami Metrozoo's Amazon & Beyond has two habitats:

The North habitat is 1600 square feet.

and the South habitat is 1570 square feet.

The Woodland Park Zoo Jaguar Cove enclosure is nearly 4000 square feet.

Judging from plans San Diego's enclosure looks about 3000-3500 square feet when you compare it to the one elephant pool which is 4600 square feet.

Does anyone know the size of Jacksonville's enclosures?
 
Jacksonville's two jaguar enclosures are 4200 and 2400 square feet, respectively. Their holding area includes 15 separate spaces, 11 indoor and 4 outdoor. By far the best in the country in terms of flexibility and animal management spaces, but Seattle's looks much nicer from the public perspective (more lush planting, more use of vertical space).
 
Jacksonville needs all the space it can get with 8 jaguars. Seattle has 2, and considering jaguars are extremely solitary species I believe Seattle has the best jaguar enclosure. No doubt Jacksonville is best in terms of management.

San Diego's enclosure looks to be a similar concept to the enclosures in Miami although it looks larger. I am sure it will be in the top 5 jaguar exhibits in the country, however it looks as if Seattle's and Jacksonville's will still remain better. You never know though...
 
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Arizona Docent said:
Cameron Park Zoo (Waco, Texas) also opened a new one a couple years ago in a new themed area for native Texas wildlife. Anyone seen it?
Click to expand...


I've seen it, although I can't remember much about it. I don't remember it being all that impressive. If all goes well with the weather I am going to try and visit sometime this week.
 
The one jaguar exhibit will measure over 2500 square feet. This is larger than either of Miami's two enclosures by nearly 1000 square feet. I am sure it will be a very decent jaguar exhibit and probably one of the five largest in the U.S.
 
BlackRhino said:
How large is St. Louis' enclosure?
Click to expand...

I am terrible at this sort of thing; I really have no idea how to judge square footage. However, a quick look at their website showed there is some kind of construction inside the exhibit that has caused the jaguars being off-exhibit since October 2008. No details given.

Also, does everyone know the jaguar ssp has its own website? Jaguar SSP - Home
 
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