7 News Belize

Fifi Freed From the Floods
posted (December 4, 2020)
There's an adorable new ocelot at the Belize zoo!

She's named Fifi, and she was rescued in Spanish Lookout after the flooding in that area displaced her from her mother. Now, the caretakers at the zoo are raising her. The cub is going on five weeks old and is in good health. Today we spoke with the General Curator at the zoo, Humberto Wohlers, who told us Fifi's backstory.

Humbert Wohlers, General Curator, The Belize Zoo
"This gentleman, Mr Lindo Padilla from Belmopan, was driving out from Spanish Lookout and while he was driving out he heard some cries, like cat cries, meows, and he stopped and looked closely and in his view he said he saw a cat and he immediately said well it's a jaguar cub so he waited to see if the mother would appear. He waited for osme time but there was no sign and then he decided to pick it up and bring it to the zoo. When it was brought to the zoo it was identified as a female ocelot rather than a jaguar. But it was all because of the floods that were happening during those days."

"When the Ocelot was brought, there was a little bit of dehydration, probably being out there alone for some time. Normally when we acquire new animals we look at the body condition and the weight and all that and determine what we gonna do, how are we gonna start this feeding process. When we received it, it weighed a pound, four ounces, and we were estimating about 2-3 weeks old and right now she's 2 pound 4 ounces, so she has increased a lot."

"If she get in good health and already we could be able to introduce it to other ocelots. We have to do a slow introduction where we have to put her next with other ocelots to recognize, establish the area, visually see the other ocelots."

"And so eventually we will have to do a slow introduction in the large area and then eventually if we could integrate it with another one."

Currently, the zoo is struggling to purchase the milk needed to keep Fifi healthy. They are accepting donations, not just for Fifi but to help take care of all the other animals. You can call them at 822-8000. There is also the option to "adopt" an animal and assist with its care.

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