In early February, we said goodbye to Kaloa the jaguar. At an amazing 22 ½ years old, Kaloa was a long-time resident of the Los Angeles Zoo and one of the oldest living jaguars. He arrived at the L.A. Zoo in 2005 and moved to the new Rainforest of the America’s area when the keystone jaguar habitat was opened in 2015, a moment that Kaloa’s long-time keeper cherished. “Several of us shed tears of joy the first day he ran through his new home,” Principal Keeper Dani Cremona remembers.
Animal Care and Veterinary staff made the difficult decision to euthanize Kaloa after caring for him through his declining health and diagnosing him with issues related to advanced age. As a species, a jaguar’s life expectancy is 12-16 years. Kaloa’s longevity is a testament to the superb quality of care he received from veterinarians and keepers, all of whom were deeply saddened when it was determined his quality of life and medical conditions were irreversible.
The Los Angeles Zoo offers special thanks and condolences to Kaloa’s entire care team and to the veterinary team for doing everything to keep him healthy and thriving throughout his long life. Many thanks to our members, as well, who cherished Kaloa as much as we did during his time with us.
