On March 10, 2026, we made the difficult decision to say goodbye to a beloved member of The Living Desert family. Memo the jaguar, age 14, was compassionately euthanized after a rapid decline in his health.
Memo’s Diagnosis
About two months ago, Memo developed a kidney infection, a condition that is unfortunately common in aging cats of all sizes. The Animal Care and Veterinary teams partnered with several outside specialists and arranged for a mobile CT unit to come to the Zoo to assist with his evaluation. Unfortunately, the results revealed Memo was in renal failure, an irreversible condition.
Since then, the Zoo’s care team worked tirelessly to ensure his comfort and wellbeing, closely monitoring Memo and conducting regular health and wellbeing assessments. During the past few days his condition declined sharply, and it was clear his quality of life was severely compromised.
“This is the hardest part of our job,” said RoxAnna Breitigan, COO of The Living Desert. “But providing animals with lifelong care means we are there for every season, from the joyful milestones to the tearful goodbyes. We never take this responsibility lightly, and making these difficult decisions becomes the final act of care we can provide for our animals, ensuring their comfort and dignity in the final stage of life.”
We are grateful for our animal care and veterinary teams for their unwavering dedication to Memo’s wellbeing since the day he arrived 13 years ago. Their deep understanding of his patterns and behavior played an essential role in recognizing the changes in his condition and ensuring he received attentive, compassionate care every step of the way.
Memo’s Legacy
Memo came to The Living Desert in 2013 from a facility in Panama after being rescued from a home where he had been kept as an illegal pet. While it was a honor to care for him, Memo was born in the wild and should have been able to live freely in his natural habitat. His story is a powerful reminder of why the fight against wildlife trafficking is so important.
One of the pillars of our new Desert Defender campaign is “Share the Habitat,” encouraging people to appreciate and coexist with wildlife from a respectful distance. Part of Memo’s legacy is that his story has, and will continue to, reinforce the importance of this message.
Memo was also part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) and his genetics are now preserved as part of the managed Zoo population. We also had the opportunity to work with the Linder Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife™ at Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens to preserve his genetics in the frozen bank — helping support future species conservation efforts.
A fan favorite among visitors, Memo was often elusive, quietly watching from a distance. Despite his excellent camouflage, guests, volunteers, and staff alike all loved taking his photo. On sunny days, he could almost always be found basking in the warmth of the desert sun.
“Animals like Memo exemplify why our work matters,” said Allen Monroe, President/CEO of The Living Desert. “Through him, countless visitors connected with wildlife in meaningful ways and gained a deeper appreciation for conservation. Memo’s presence inspired respect and care for animals, and his legacy will live on in all who had the privilege of knowing him.”
While there are no immediate plans to reintroduce another jaguar to this space, The Living Desert will continue to collaborate with the SSP and other AZA organizations should a jaguar in the program need a home in the future. In the short term, guests can look forward to welcoming a new feline species to the North America section in the coming weeks.
Thank you to everyone who cared for him, learned from him, admired him, and honored him. Memo made an enduring impact on all of us, and he will be deeply missed.
