A 12-year-old male jaguar from Chicago is the newest member of Happy Hollow Park and Zoo in San Jose, joining 14-year-old Sophia, a cat that has been at the zoo since 2005.
Kianto's move from Lincoln Park Zoo is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums species survival plan. Jaguars are the largest cat species native to the Americas, according to the zoo.
Male jaguars are larger than females, and Kianto weighs 130 pounds while Sophia weighs about 90. Zoo officials said the two are not a genetic match for breeding and jaguars are solitary animals so they will live in separate enclosures.
Kianto will take his time to adjust to his new surroundings, zoo officials said. Guests may not see him while he settles into his habitat.
Jaguars typically live 11 to 12 years in the wild, but some have lived more than 20 years in captivity, according to the nonprofit Big Cat Rescue.
Zoo officials want to remind visitors to be respectful of all the animals and to enjoy calm, quiet observation and daily animal meet-and-greets.
