MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee County Zoo (MCZ) on Wednesday announced the arrival of Filly, a 6-7-year-old female jaguar transferred to the United States from the Belize Zoo.

Filly arrived at the Belize Zoo in 2019 after she was rescued as part of the Human Jaguar Conflict Program. She was identified as a jaguar who had been preying on livestock - these jaguars are nearly always older, injured, or sick, and unable to compete with healthy jaguars for food, according to the zoo. 

The Belize Zoo began a program in 2003 to intervene with jaguars identified as repeat livestock predators. The cats are humanely trapped and transferred into the zoo's care. 

To prepare for Filly's transfer, the Milwaukee County Zoo and Belize Zoo worked together in a process that took four-and-a-half years to complete. The zoos have a longstanding partnership dating back to the 1980s.

MCZ's male jaguar, Frankie, is the son of jaguar Pat, who arrived from the Belize Zoo in 2008 and was a conflict jaguar as well. 

“We are thrilled to collaborate once again with our partners at the Belize Zoo to bring Filly to Milwaukee,” Amos Morris, Milwaukee County Zoo executive director said. “We are proud to support the conservation efforts of the Belize Zoo and their commitment to the Jaguar Species Survival Plan. By bringing Filly to Milwaukee, we are also focused on the welfare and wellbeing of our male, Frankie. This also opens additional space for the Belize Zoo to continue to act as a haven for wild jaguars in need from human animal conflict.”

Filly will enter a quarantine period at the Animal Health Center before being moved to her habitat in Florence Mila Borchert Big Cat Country. 

The zoo will introduce her to guests at a later date.