Massive jaguar rescued from Colombian university campus
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A large adult male jaguar weighing between 110 and 120 kilograms was rescued by environmental authorities and wildlife specialists.
- The jaguar was found exhausted and with health problems at the National University of Colombia's Amazon campus in Leticia.
- It is receiving treatment at a specialized wildlife center and will be released into a protected area if its condition improves.
A massive adult male jaguar, weighing an estimated 110 to 120 kilograms, was safely rescued from the campus of the National University of Colombia's Amazon branch in Leticia. Environmental authorities and wildlife specialists coordinated the operation to sedate and transport the large feline, identified as an adult *Panthera onca*.
The jaguar was discovered exhausted and showing signs of illness, which veterinarians suspect is a skin infection. It has been transferred to a specialized wildlife care center run by Corpoamazonรญa for examination and treatment. Officials hope to release the animal back into a protected area within days, provided its recovery is successful.
We believe it's due to a small skin infection it currently has, we've already started treatment and thankfully the rescue was carried out without injuries or harm to the animal.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro commented on the unusual presence of the jaguar, suggesting on social media that the "ancestral American feline" appeared to defend the public university. The university reportedly canceled classes for the day during the rescue operation. The jaguar, a symbolic species of the Amazon, faces threats including habitat loss and illegal hunting.
This jaguar arrived at the Amazon university, a public university, strengthened by us. It is as if our ancestral American feline showed itself to defend the public university.
Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.