FINNEY COUNTY – Residents in southwest Kansas and staff at the Lee Richardson Zoo are mourning the passing of Bianca, a black jaguar and long-time zoo resident in Garden City.

During a routine examination earlier this month, suspicious masses had been detected. She was euthanized Tuesday after widespread cancer was found during a follow-up procedure performed that day to remove the masses, according to a social media report.

“Bianca was facing a very painful recovery, and even if we could remove all the masses, the cancer was going to reoccur, so it was kinder to let her go now before her condition declined,” said veterinarian Eric Tuller.

Bianca was 20 years old. The median life expectancy is 17.8 years for jaguars in human care. She came to Garden City from Wildlife World Zoo in Arizona in March of 1998 with her sister. The pair spent the following years making quite an impression on guests at the zoo.