News & Media

JOURNEY COMES FULL CIRCLE FOR LUCERO THE JAGUAR
Northern jaguar to return to Mexico after life-saving dental surgery at Phoenix Zoo

PHOENIX (March 19, 2010) – Lucero, a northern jaguar from Sonora, Mexico, has completed his extended visit and will be returning on Tuesday, March 23 to the Centro Ecologico de Sonora in Hermosillo after 16 eventful months at the Phoenix Zoo. From now until Monday, it will be the last opportunity for guests to bid farewell to Lucero before his departure.

Lucero arrived in Phoenix in November 2008 after a series of collaborative efforts by the Commission of Ecology and Sustainable Development for the State of Sonora (CEDES), Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Phoenix Zoo. Born in the wild, four-year-old Lucero had been illegally captured in southeast Sonora and sustained life-threatening damage to his teeth. Mexican wildlife authorities rescued Lucero and brought him to Centro Ecologico de Sonora, where zoo officials expressed concern over his injuries. This led to his transfer to the Phoenix Zoo, where a team of veterinary dental specialists performed complex surgery to repair his severely damaged teeth. The veterinary team also took blood and tissue samples for a DNA study on the northern jaguar.

"It has been our privilege to host Lucero over the past year, " says Phoenix Zoo President and CEO Bert Castro. "While we were honored to play a key role in ensuring his well being, Lucero has more than repaid us by helping us to learn more about the northern jaguar population. The information we have obtained will aid conservation efforts tremendously."

Lucero spent the next several weeks recovering after surgery while getting acquainted with Caipora, the female jaguar with whom he would share an exhibit. When he made his public debut at the Phoenix Zoo in February 2009, Lucero was one of the few wild-born jaguars in captivity in the U.S. Although Lucero's surgery was successful, the extent of his injuries and time spent in captivity are likely to prevent him from being released into the wild.

"We are very happy about the completion of this project, " said Arizona Game and Fish Department International and Borderlands Program Manager, Francisco Abarca. "The strong partnership developed with CEDES and the Phoenix Zoo was critical for the successful completion of the dental care, safe handling and transportation to and from Arizona. Lucero was an excellent ambassador in our state for educating people about the importance of jaguar conservation along the U.S.-Mexico border."

An endangered species, the jaguar was thought to have vanished from the U.S. landscape until two independent sightings in 1996. Arizona and New Mexico comprise the northernmost reach of the northern jaguar's range, which stretches through Mexico, Central America and South America.

"We will certainly miss Lucero at the Phoenix Zoo. We feel fortunate to be able to share such a beautiful and rare animal with our guests and hope that those who have seen him will take an interest in helping the plight of the northern jaguar, " Castro adds. "We are honored to have served as host for this remarkable animal, but it's time for him to return home to the Centro in Hermosillo.  We are eager to continue developing our partnership with the Centro and look forward to fruitful collaboration and friendship for years to come."

About the Phoenix Zoo

The Phoenix Zoo is a non-profit zoological park that serves 1.5 million guests annually. Home to more than 1, 300 animals and many endangered and threatened species, the Zoo is dedicated to providing experiences that inspire people and motivate them to care for the natural world.

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