Posted: March 10, 2009, 3 a.m. EDT
Macho B, estimated at 15-16 years old, was suffering from kidney failure. Photo courtesy Center for Biological Diversity. |
Macho B, the oldest known
jaguar in the wild, was euthanized March 2. He was estimated at 15 to 16 years old.
On Feb. 18, the jaguar was captured and collared with a radio tracking device by the Arizona Game and Fish Department as part of a research study. After he was found ailing as a result of kidney failure, the 118-pound cat was euthanized, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
In an interview published in the Arizona Daily Star, Dr. Dean Rice of the Phoenix Zoo, one of two veterinarians to perform the necropsy on the big cat, said that stress from the capture and tranquilizing of Macho B contributed to the jaguar’s kidney problem, resulting in the decision to euthanize him.
Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity said this is a major setback for the jaguar. “Macho’s legacy should be action to develop a science-based recovery plan and protection of the areas they call home to ensure their survival,” he said.