Jaguar (
Panthera onca)
Care Manual
24
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
AZA Accreditation Standard
(11.5.3) Institutions maintaining
potentially dangerous animals must have
appropriate safety procedures in
place to
prevent attacks and injuries by these
animals. Appropriate response
procedures must also be in place to deal
with an attack resulting in an injury. These
procedures must be practiced routinely
per the emergency drill requirements
contained in these standards. Whenever
injuries result from these incidents, a
written account outlining the cause of the
incident, how the injury was handled, and
a description
of any resulting changes to
either the safety procedures or the
physical facility must be prepared and
maintained for five years from the date of
the incident.
Emergency drills must be conducted at least once annually for each basic type of emergency to
ensure all staff is aware of emergency procedures and to identify potential problematic areas that may
require adjustment. These drills must be recorded and results
evaluated for compliance with emergency procedures, efficacy of
paid/unpaid staff training, aspects of the
emergency response
that are deemed adequate are reinforced, and those requiring
improvement are identified and modified
(AZA Accreditation
Standard 11.2.5). AZA-accredited institutions must have a
communication system that can be quickly accessed in case of an
emergency (AZA Accreditation Standard 11.2.6). A paid staff
member or a committee must be designated as responsible for
ensuring that all required emergency drills are conducted,
recorded, and evaluated in accordance with
AZA accreditation
standards (AZA Accreditation Standard 11.2.0).
AZA-accredited institutions must also ensure that written
protocols define how and when local police or other emergency
agencies are contacted and specify response times to
emergencies (AZA Accreditation Standard 11.2.7) It is
recommended to communicate institutional emergency policy,
procedure, and intention with local law enforcement and
emergency officials. Establishing a smooth working relationship in
advance of an emergency may save lives.
AZA-accredited institutions which care for potentially dangerous animals must have appropriate
safety procedures in place to prevent attacks and injuries by these animals. Animal attack emergency
response procedures must be defined and personnel must be
trained for these protocols (AZA Accreditation Standard 11.5.3).
When an institution houses jaguars, maintaining firearms for
emergency situations in which no other option remains to protect
the public, staff, and/or other animals should be given serious
consideration. This choice carries substantial obligations in staff
training
and proficiency, drilling, safe storage and maintenance of
said firearms, record-keeping, and preparation of policy and
procedure, and is as much the institution’s responsibility as is the
decision to manage potentially lethal animals in its collection.
As a large predator with powerful body and bite strength and
excellent jumping and ambush capability, the jaguar should be
classified among an institution’s most dangerous species with
respect to emergency and escape response procedures and
safety training. Vigilance and adherence to best practices in large
carnivore care is the best emergency preparedness, and safety
procedures for jaguars are similar to those of all large cats.
Jaguar keepers should receive thorough training in methods,
procedures and observational skills from supervisors and co-workers in advance of working
independently.
Training subject matter should include familiarization with all enclosures and
service areas,
equipment and features such as doors and chutes. It is important that jaguar keepers understand the
species’ natural history as well as the individual histories of the cats with which they work. Detailed written
protocols should be prepared, and adhered to, with respect to routine daily tasks, medical procedures and
emergency response.
Safety consciousness cannot be over-emphasized with respect to guests, animals and staff.
Protocols should include, but not be limited to, the following: daily checks of enclosure perimeters for
cage integrity, verification of all animals’ presence in expected locations each time the keeper enters the
exhibit/holding area vicinity, and double-checking doors and locks with each use. A system of labels
(such as “On Exhibit,” “In Holding,” “Indoor/outdoor Access”) on entrances and shift doors to help prevent
keepers entering enclosures where animals are present should also be implemented. Appropriate
AZA Accreditation Standard
(11.2.6) The institution must have a
communication system that can be
quickly accessed in case of an
emergency.
AZA Accreditation Standard
(11.2.7) A written protocol should be
developed involving local police or other
emergency agencies and include
response times to emergencies.
AZA Accreditation Standard
(11.2.0) A paid staff member or a
committee must be designated as
responsible for ensuring
that all required
emergency drills are conducted,
recorded, and evaluated in accordance
with AZA accreditation standards (see
11.2.5 and 11.7.4).
Jaguar (
Panthera onca)
Care Manual
25
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
awareness and response to factors such as keeper illness, fatigue, stress or other potential distractions is
also important. Reliance on direct observation, and avoiding making assumptions about the status of
animals or the facility should be emphasized in the protocols.
Ultimately, each person who enters the area or opens a shift door should be responsible for the
consequences of his or her actions, and current best practice defines two-way radios as the method of
choice for optimal communication abilities. Ideally, the jaguar exhibit’s service area is also equipped with
a telephone to allow flexibility in both emergency and routine communication.
When zoo employees or volunteers from outside the area are working in, or near, jaguar facilities,
staff should provide close supervision and clear instructions about safety procedures. This includes
careful tracking of the number of people entering and leaving the area and strict detail about where they
are allowed to go and what they are allowed to do. Non-zoo employees (e.g., contractors, guests, etc.)
should be accompanied at all times and also provided careful instruction before entering the area.
Depending on the building design, lines may be painted on floors to indicate safe distances from cages
(AZA Lion
Species Survival Plan, 2012).
Animal attack emergency drills should be conducted at least once annually to ensure that the
institution’s staff know their duties and responsibilities and know how to handle emergencies properly
when they occur. All drills need to be recorded and evaluated to ensure that procedures are being
followed, that staff training is effective, and that what is learned is used to correct and/or improve the
emergency procedures. Records of these drills must be maintained and improvements in the procedures
duly noted whenever such are identified (AZA Accreditation Standard 11.5.3).
If an animal attack occurs and injuries result from the incident, a written account outlining the cause of
the incident, how the injury was handled, and a description of any resulting changes to either the safety
procedures or the physical facility must be prepared and maintained for five years from the date of the
incident (AZA Accreditation Standard 11.5.3).
In developing an emergency response protocol, each institution will have unique history and
circumstances to address. However, four core sets of actions should be covered by the document. Firstly,
the employee, or volunteer, responding to the emergency should call the institution’s communications
center, providing the location and circumstances of the emergency according
to the format defined by the
institution. Secondly, the responding employee, or volunteer, should assess the situation, according to
priorities defined by the institution, to formulate a plan of action. Parts of this plan may be pre-determined
by the protocol, such as communications trees, team responses to details of the initial call, equipment to
be used, and so on. Other components may be delegated to the responder’s own initiative but they
should also be outlined in the response protocol. The decision to use lethal force, and under what
conditions, should be specifically addressed in the protocol. Thirdly, the employee(s), or volunteer(s),
assembled should secure the scene according to the plan of action. Finally, the appropriate employee(s),
or volunteer(s), as defined by the institution should prepare a detailed written report and
analysis to
explain the actions taken and the results that were achieved (San Diego Zoo Global Academy, 2013).
Another potentially useful component of an emergency response protocol is the inclusion of advice and
training on how to respond should a worker find him/herself sharing space with a jaguar.
No single protocol or methodology can cover every possible situation. Analysis of drills, or training
exercises, should aid in continually improving both proficiency and the procedures themselves. Narrative
reports which outline the details of drills, exercises, or training may be useful, especially if they include
descriptions of the specific successes and failures of the exercises along with recommended
modifications in procedure. Recording the names of participants and the scope of an exercise also
provide important perspective.