Here is Regina, our beloved female jaguar, a truly record-breaking animal.
Regina, our cherished jaguar, born on February 13, 2002, reached the incredible milestone of 23 years this year and has entered her twenty-fourth year, setting the record as the oldest jaguar ever recorded in a controlled environment.
This extraordinary age for her species is a testament to her exceptional health and the quality of care she receives at our park..
Regina is a true symbol of longevity for jaguars. Her presence serves as a reminder of the importance of conserving these magnificent animals and their natural habitat. Her story reminds us of the importance of ensuring the well-being of animals in parks and protecting them from the threats they face in the wild.
We are conducting research to verify if Regina is among the longest-living jaguars in the world. So far, we have not found evidence of any other individuals that have reached or surpassed this age. If you have any information, we invite you to contact us.
Jaguars
Regina belongs to the Panthera genus, which also includes the four other largest feline species in the world: the tiger, lion, leopard, and snow leopard.
She is an ancestral specimen, meaning she has no fur color mutations.
The word “panther” was used by the Romans for all the large felines that arrived in Rome from the Middle East and North Africa for games and as pets. This is where the mistaken name “black panther” comes from, which generally refers to melanistic black leopards or black jaguars.
Jaguars, as reported on the WWF website , are an endangered species. Currently, there are only about 170,000 specimens in the world, and unfortunately, the trend is declining.
The species within this genus typically have an average lifespan of 12 to 17 years. While animals in captivity often live much longer, Regina is a truly exceptional case, as she still enjoys more than decent health.
To celebrate Regina’s 23rd birthday, a special event was organized at the park on Sunday, February 16, 2025, with both adults and children taking part. Under the guidance of the ethologist and some keepers, the participants prepared gifts for Regina, as shown in the images.
August, 8th 2025
Regina recently had to undergo a minor surgical procedure, but she is doing well!
It was a non-invasive surgery, but one for which Regina had to be sedated to allow the veterinarian to work safely. As we know, anesthesia can sometimes hold unpleasant surprises, especially for older animals, which is why the entire staff was a bit worried.
Precisely because of her age, she is no longer able to sharpen her claws on her own, and so the veterinarian’s intervention was necessary to shorten her nails, which had become too long and were causing her problems and pain when walking, especially on one paw. To allow the vet to work safely, it was necessary to anesthetize her, but given her age, all the staff held their breath until Regina woke up.
Everything went well and now Regina can walk without the discomfort in her paw.
