Salisbury Zoo's Longtime Black Jaguar Euthanized

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) -- A black jaguar that has lived at the Salisbury Zoo for more than 20 years has been euthanized.

Zoo officials say that 22-year-old Maya was euthanized Monday after her caretakers decided her quality of life was suffering too much.

A zoo spokeswoman says Maya's health has been in decline in recent months and that her mobility and appetite were major concerns. She says Maya's caretakers were keeping a close eye on her health but that her condition had declined too much in recent days for medical care to help.

Maya was born in April 1992 at Texas zoo and was brought to Salisbury when she was just 6 months old. Her most recent den mate is Kaya, a female spotted jaguar who's been at the zoo for four years.

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