Keepers placed a meaty bone inside a heavy duty cardboard tube then hung it up high on a tree stump. Jaguar are extremely good climbers and by hanging his food in the tree promotes a bit of extra exercise and agility as well as encourage a bit of hunting ingenuity. This also helps him keep fit and use those muscles that do not always get a workout.
It's also great fun.
Chincha, or Nico as the keepers have nicknamed him, came to us from Parc de Felis in France in April. When he arrived he was understandably nervous of his new surroundings and charges. It took a few weeks for him to settle but now he is very happy. He can be seen playing up the trees or in the long grass and especially in his moat. He is an excellent swimmer and loves playing with his ball in the water.
Jaguars are the largest of the South American cats and the third largest cat in the world. Tiger and Lion being the biggest.
Jaguar can weight up to 114kgs. Chincha weighs around 90kg. They have the most powerful bite force of all the big cats at around 2000psi, compared to Tigers at 1050psi and Lions at 800psi. This means Jaguar can crush the skull of their prey, such as Capybara and Tapir, with a single bite.
The video demonstrates how strong they are and how agile they can be. At one point you can see how he is able to hold his entire body weight by his teeth!
