The Salisbury Zoo on Monday had to say goodbye to Maya, the zoo’s 22-year-old black jaguar. Recently Maya’s health has been in an age related decline. As with any geriatric animal, mobility and appetite are major concerns.

The animal care staff has kept a close eye on her health with constant consideration to her quality of life. Unfortunately, her overall condition had recently declined. It was determined that her health prognoses could not be improved through medical treatment.

It comes with great sadness for the Zoo staff to announce that out of respect to her dignity and quality of life issues she humanely was euthanized.

 Maya was born on April 27, 1992 at the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, Texas. She came to the Salisbury Zoo October 11, 1992. She has outlived two exhibit mates, Georgio and Gordo, two male spotted jaguars. Kaya, a female spotted jaguar who came to the Salisbury Zoo four years ago, was her most recent den mate.

Maya was melanistic which accounted for her black coat. Melanistic jaguars are found less frequently then spotted jaguars. Both black and spotted cubs can be born to the same parents.