Fort Worth Zoo Shows Off Newborn Jaguar Cub

FORT WORTH (CBS 11 NEWS) - The Fort Worth Zoo is making room for its newest addition, a female jaguar cub.  Sasha is the sixth jaguar cub born at the zoo, since Texas Wild! opened in 2001.

Sasha was born on July 16, weighing 2 lbs.  Now at 2-months-old, she's grown to nearly 14 lbs. and zoo visitors can see her in the Brush County area of the Texas Wild! exhibit.  Sasha is healthy and under the watchful eye of her 4-year-old mother Xochi (pronounced zo-she).

"The Fort Worth Zoo has had a very successful history breeding jaguars," said Ron Surratt, Fort Worth Zoo director of animal collections. "Our participation in the Jaguar SSP has helped ensure guests will be able to enjoy jaguars for years to come as we continue to contribute to the survival of the species."

Sasha will stay at the Fort Worth Zoo for at least the next year, until she is moved to another zoo within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Jaguar Species Survival Plan.  The breeding program has celebrated eight jaguar births at AZA zoos this year.

Jaguars are the largest cats in the Western Hemisphere and third largest in the world (only lions and tigers are larger in the world).