ERIE ZOO GRIEVES THE PASSING OF CAAX THE JAGUAR
On June 23rd, Caax first presented with signs of weakness in his back legs. The Erie Zoo veterinary staff promptly began treating him for possible neurologic and musculoskeletal disease. Under the close supervision of his dedicated care teams, symptoms progressed to shifting lameness in his front legs, more severe weakness in his hind legs, and reduced appetite. On July 30th, Caax was sedated for further diagnostics, which confirmed age-related medical conditions, including arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc disease. Nodules were also observed on his lungs.
"We are dedicated to providing the highest quality of care for all our animals throughout every stage of their life. Our top priority is their well-being," said Erie Zoo Head Veterinarian Dr. Jenna Epstein, D.V.M. "Despite our best efforts, Caax's health continued to decline, and due to a lack of response to treatment, we had to make the difficult decision to euthanize him. We are conducting further tests and a necropsy to determine the exact cause of his symptoms."
At 20 years old, Caax outlived the average life expectancy for jaguars in the wild, which is 12-16 years old. Caax was born at the Audubon Zoo in Louisiana on January 21, 2004, and came to the Erie Zoo on April 25, 2005. During his time here, he fathered two cubs with Ceiba in 2009. Both offspring have since moved on to other zoos.
Both staff and visitors deeply loved Caax. He was well known for his charming and captivating personality, always excited to interact with visitors. He was very vocal and would often call to get people's attention. His keepers say he was not a morning cat, and it always took him a while to get up and moving for the day. They recall coming in to him often sleeping upside-down with his belly and paws in the air. "I loved how playful and goofy he was," says zookeeper Jenny Colcombe, "We could always count on him to rip up his enrichment boxes and play with his giant ball. He had such a spirited personality and we are all going to miss him."
Caax was as an exceptional ambassador for his species, which have been classified as near threatened by the IUCN Red List. Significant threats to the jaguar population include habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and human conflict.
