Three endangered jaguar cubs have been born at a Naples zoo due to the rising tropical-style heat in the last four years.
The latest offspring at risk of exticntion, Parthenope, was born in May and went on show for the first time Friday “This is an extraordinary success for the Naples Zoo, especially considering that the species is considered ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and that it is the only breeding pair in Italy,” said Fiorella Saggese, curator of the park.
She added: “Events like this serve to remind us how crucial it is to protect animal species even in contexts outside their native geographic range.
“Zoos play a fundamental role in this: by managing animals in controlled environments, they promote the conservation of the species’ genetic variability, that mix of genetic variants (alleles) that increases the likelihood that, in the face of environmental changes—climate, availability of resources, emergence of pathogens, habitat modifications, etc.—some individuals will survive.” The European and global zoo network collaborates to ensure the species’ conservation through projects with local communities.
Like her two siblings, Parthenope will also leave for a new destination as soon as she is ready to leave her mother, but the Naples Zoo’s owners have announced some important news this year.
“We are ready to build a bridge directly with South America,” announced Giulia Floro Flores, one of the zoo’s founding members, “and collaborate with local conservation centers to protect the species comprehensively.”.
