Watch Out World! Meet Rojo

Houston Zoo Reveals Jaguar Cub’s Name

Oh baby! Houston Zoo is excited to share the name of its baby jaguar—meet Rojo. He was named by Zoo supporters and friends, the Ames Family, who placed the winning bid to name the cub during a live auction at the recent Zoo Ball – Wings of Wonder presented by Phillips 66. Rojo, which means “red” in Spanish, was chosen to reflect the beauty and strength of these majestic animals. Guests will be able to see Rojo once he’s big enough to make his public debut. In the meantime, guests can visit dad Tesoro in the Zoo’s South America’s Pantanal, behind the giant river otters.

Rojo was born on Nov. 6 to first-time mom, Vida. The 2.2-pound cub (now tipping the scales at 7.5 lbs) and mom have been bonding behind the scenes where they’ve been spotted enjoying some playtime in the quieter evening hours. Rojo’s birth is part of Houston Zoo’s ongoing commitment to jaguar conservation and education. Houston Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan^® (SSP) Program for jaguars working to ensure a sustainable future for the iconic big cat. Rojo’s parents, Vida and Tesoro, are ambassadors for their threatened species and help raise awareness about the importance of habitat preservation and protecting jaguars from poaching and deforestation.

Each Zoo visit helps save wild jaguars. A portion of each Zoo ticket and membership supports Projeto Ariranhas, a training workshop that helps local Brazilian tour guides learn how to lead jaguar-safe tours so people and wildlife in the region can safely and successfully coexist.