Nabalam, among oldest jaguars in U.S., dies at Palm Beach Zoo

At 22, Nabalam was the oldest female jaguar in zoo captivity in the United States. She died Thursday at the Palm Beach Zoo.

Diagnosed since January with compromised kidney function, Nabalam on Thursday underwent medical procedures that showed she also had terminal cancer, zoo officials said.

Rather than risk a poten- tially fatal surgery, zoo staff opted not to wake Nabalam from anesthesia.

“We did not want Nabalam to be in excruciating pain,” said Jan Steele, the zoo’s director of wildlife care and conservation. “She was beloved by many, and all of her keepers and associated staff had a chance to say their goodbyes.”

At nearly 23 years of age, Nabalam exceeded the median life expectancy for jaguars by nearly five years, zoo officials said.

Because Nabalam had recently begun coughing and refusing to take medication, on Thursday she was given a complete medical examination, including blood work, urinalysis, radiographs and ultrasound, Steele said.

“It was determined that she had terminal cancer similar to breast cancer,” Steele said. “Her kidney function was getting worse, she had masses in her uterus, and cysts on her ovaries.”

Nabalam is survived at the zoo by her 12-year-old daughter, Izel.

She also has 16 living descendants and is responsible for producing 3.2 percent of the 121 jaguars currently living in zoos in the United States and 11 percent of the 149 jaguars found in zoos throughout North America, zoo officials said.