Senior jaguars Remi and Bonita arrive at Chester Zoo
Their arrival forms part of a wider conservation effort to protect one of the most iconic big cats in the Americas.
We’ve welcomed Remi and Bonita, a senior mother-and-son jaguar duo, to our conservation zoo.
At 16 and 11 years old, Bonita and Remi are considered senior for their species. The pair have lived side-by-side since Remi’s birth, and have now arrived at Chester Zoo as part of a collaborative European initiative designed to support big cat welfare and safeguard the species for the future.
Bonita and Remi will now remain together in a purpose-built habitat, created specifically for older carnivores. Our specialist team will provide them with tailored, lifelong care to meet their changing needs and support their continued wellbeing.
Bonita has been a devoted mother throughout Remi’s life, so keeping them together was a real priority for all of us. In 2019, Remi overcame a rare and aggressive form of cancer, which makes his continued health today all the more remarkable. Now, both are settling well into their new habitat and receiving the very best care.
Dave Hall, our Team Manager of Carnivores
Remi and Bonita’s move forms part of a coordinated breeding and conservation programme for jaguars - an iconic species increasingly threatened by habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict across the Americas.
Jaguars are listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Although they range across Central and South America, their habitats are shrinking fast due to illegal hunting, deforestation and expanding agriculture.
Remi, at Chester Zoo
Jaguars have one of the largest ranges of any big cat, but that range is shrinking fast. From our work in Bolivia and Brazil, we know how serious the pressures are – from habitat fragmentation to direct conflict with farmers.
Paul Bamford, our Regional Field Programme Senior Manager
In southern Bolivia, the Inter-Andean dry forests have shrunk to just 6% of their original size. Much of that loss is driven by unsustainable agriculture - linked to global demand for soy, palm oil and beef. These are global supply chains, and they reach all the way to the UK.
Bonita and Remi now play an important role in helping us tell that story -about why nature needs protecting, and how we can all be part of the solution.
At Chester Zoo, everything we do is focused on creating a future where nature can survive and thrive. That means protecting habitats, reducing pressure on wild populations, and providing lifelong care for the animals in our conservation community.
Bonita and Remi are now part of that mission.
