Jaguar (
Panthera onca)
Care Manual
28
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
1.4.3). These IDs should be included in specimen, collection
and/or transaction records and veterinary records. Types of
identifiers include:
Physical identifier:
These include, but are not limited to, ear tags,
tattoos, microchips/transponder and RFID devices, elastomers,
and ear notches. Animals should be permanently identified. Use
of microchips is widely considered to be best practice but tattoos,
ear notches or their natural markings, if necessary, are other
options for jaguars. Permanent physical identifiers are often
required when a species is regulated by a government agency and to distinguish separate animals in
studbooks.
Intangible identifiers (called ‘logical identifiers’ in the Zoological Information Management System [ZIMS]):
These include, but are not limited to, institutional accession number, house name, public name, studbook
number, and ZIMS Global Accession Number.
Every jaguar should be entered into an institution’s animal records and given a local identifier at birth,
even if it does not survive. All jaguars born in AZA institutions will be entered into
the North American
Regional Studbook for jaguars and given studbook numbers. It is useful to track the births and deaths of
even those animals which are not viable for demographic analysis.
AZA Accreditation Standard
(1.4.3) Animals must be identifiable,
whenever practical, and have
corresponding ID numbers. For animals
maintained in colonies/groups or other
animals not considered readily
identifiable, the institution must provide a
statement explaining how record keeping
is maintained.
Jaguar (
Panthera onca)
Care Manual
29
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Chapter 4. Transport
4.1 Preparations
Animal transportation must be conducted in a manner that adheres to
all laws, is safe, and minimizes
risk to the animal(s), employees, and general public (AZA Accreditation Standard 1.5.11).
Safe animal transport requires the use of appropriate
conveyance and equipment that is in good working order. Include
copies of appropriate permits and authorizations in transport
documentation. If the animal is not owned by the shipping
institution, permission is to be obtained from the owner well in
advance of the move. Contact with the registrar, curator, or
proprietor of the owning institution
to obtain permission and
initiate relevant documentation should be made at least 30 days prior to setting a shipment date.
The choice of whether jaguars should be shipped over land or by air rests on a variety of factors,
including distance, season, climate, and cost. For land transportation, compliance with the wildlife
regulations for each state on the itinerary is necessary. Contacting the law enforcement division of each
appropriate state wildlife agency is an important first step. At the federal level, transport conditions for
jaguars are regulated through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA-APHIS, 2014); these are noted in
the next section of this chapter. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), (International Air
Transport Association, 2013/2014) specifies details of shipping containers which are excerpted below,
and all professional airlines abide by IATA’s manual in addition to USDA regulations.
The equipment must provide
for the adequate containment, life support, comfort, temperature control,
food/water, and safety of the animal(s). Jaguar transport crates should be constructed of hardwood,
metal, plywood (or similar material) of no less than 1.3 cm (0.5 in.) in thickness, welded mesh, or iron
bars. Aluminum stock of at least 4 mm (0.16 in.) thickness offers a very good strength to weight
comparison, for example. The frame should be made from solid wood or metal and bolted or screwed
together. Welded aluminum crates which meet or exceed the IATA requirements are commercially
available, or they can be custom fabricated and their use is probably the best available option. The frame
should meet a spacer bar requirement of 2.5 cm (1 in.) in depth to the sides for air circulation. When the
weight of the container exceeds 60 kg (132 lb) or the animal is very aggressive, the frame should have
additional metal re-enforcing braces. Suitable plywood or a similar material should line the frame to give it
a smooth and strong interior. The floor should either be constructed in a narrow slatted
form over a liquid-
proof tray in such a manner that all the excreta fall onto the tray, or it should be leak-proof and covered by
sufficient absorbent material in order to prevent any excreta from escaping. The roof should be solid, and
a sliding or hinged entry/exit door should be provided. The front entry/exit door and the opposite end
should be made of welded steel mesh or strong iron bars. The iron bars should be
spaced in such a way
that the animal cannot pass its legs between them. It is recommended that a jaguar crate have doors at
both ends. Alternatively, the front entry-exit door may be made from heavy, steel-lined plywood with
ventilation openings, while the other end is made of welded steel mesh or strong iron bars. When mesh or
bars are used, a cover should be in place to reduce disturbance to the animal and protect handlers. This
may be a sliding, ventilated shutter, burlap, or a similar material. Openings should be placed at heights
that will provide through-ventilation at all levels. Exterior meshed ventilation openings with a minimum
diameter of 2.5 cm (1 in.) should be made on the sides, entry door(s), and roof. However, extreme care
should be taken that transport crates have no spaces that allow jaguars to reach out with their claws.
Care
should be taken with the size, shape, and spacing of openings to minimize opportunities for
jaguars to damage teeth and claws while inside the crate. Animals should not be able to come in contact
with any edges or surfaces that can cut or abrade. It is advisable that forklift spacers be provided if the
total weight of the container plus animal exceeds 60 kg (132 lb). A means of allowing a team of up to four
people to carry the crate should be incorporated into the design. Careful consideration should be given to
the handles or means of attaching/detaching handles to maximize their usefulness but minimize
increasing the crate’s width. Figure 2 provides a visual representation of the
aforementioned container
design.
AZA Accreditation Standard
(1.5.11) Animal transportation must be
conducted in a manner that is safe, well-
planned and coordinated, and minimizes
risk to the animal(s), employees, and
general public. All applicable laws and/or
regulations must be adhered to.