BELÉM, BRAZIL - After an online vote with participation from across the country, the BioParque Vale Amazônia, in the municipality of Parauapebas in southeastern Pará state, announced on Sunday (29) the name of its new jaguar cub: Xingu. The reveal took place during a special program marking the park’s 41st anniversary, located in the Serra dos Carajás region.

The public took part in the naming process until Friday (27). The animal, a male with Cerrado genetic lineage, was born in late December.

The name options had Indigenous origins and referenced major rivers in the Amazon. Xingu received the highest number of votes, with more than 56%.

Xingu is a jaguar born as part of a breeding program led by the park’s technical team. The birth is considered a milestone for the conservation of the species, which is currently threatened with extinction.

For now, the cub remains in an indoor enclosure, receiving special care as a newborn. It is expected to be presented to the public later in the first half of the year.

Jaguar gestation lasts between three and four months and typically results in up to two cubs. The biopark currently houses 360 animals from 67 species of wild fauna, including birds, mammals and reptiles, among them rare or endangered species.

The facility partners with agencies such as ICMBio and Ibama and has a team composed of biologists, veterinarians, botanists and environmental analysts.

Amazon Agency