The San Antonio Zoo announced last week that Texas teachers would get free admission to the zoo as part of Teachers Appreciation Month. Credit: Courtesy of San Antonio Zoo

On Tuesday, the San Antonio Zoo welcomed a two-year-old female jaguar named Frida as part of a breeding program conservationists hope will preserve the near-threatened species.

Officials hope Frida — who was transferred from the Memphis Zoo as part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan — will eventually mate with the zoo’s male Jaguar named B’alam.

Only 10,000 jaguars remain in the wild, according to San Antonio Zoo officials.

Frida will be housed at the facility’s South American-themed Neotropica habitat, which recently went under $1.7 million renovation and expansion. Guests will get a good look at both Frida and B’alam via the Pantera walk, a skybridge that allows the jaguars to wander between exhibits.

Frida’s arrival is the latest in a slew of good news for the San Antonio Zoo, which was recently named the No. 4 best Zoo in the country and No. 2 for its outstanding conservation, animal welfare and education efforts.

Stay on top of San Antonio news and views. Sign up for our Weekly Headlines Newsletter.

Related Stories

This article appears in Apr 6-19, 2022.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...