Meet Sonries – Chapter 2: Ready to Explore 

August 27, 2026

The wait is over — Sonries is ready to meet guests! 

Over the past couple of weeks, Sonries has been exploring his outdoor habitat at his own pace while his care team gradually removed visual barriers, giving him time to become comfortable seeing guests. He now has regular access to his outdoor habitat each day, and the view from the habitat windows is unobstructed. 

Low fencing will remain in front of the windows for a little while longer, giving Sonries some extra physical distance from guests as he continues to get more and more comfortable with his new surroundings. 

Exploring at His Own Pace 
Sonries’ care team has observed that, like many of us, Sonries is not a morning “person.”  He often chooses to stay inside his night house even after keepers open the door to his habitat, venturing outside on his own time (and preferably when it can be considered entirely his own idea, like any good cat). Once outside, he has been spotted (pun intended) walking right past the windows, lounging in the tree in the center of the habitat, relaxing on the high shelf behind the waterfall or napping on a ledge near the windows, partially hidden by a tree.

A Jaguar’s-Eye View 

Sonries established his favorite spot in the habitat quickly, and it’s just where you’d expect a cat to be: high up where he can see everything around him! Jaguars are powerful climbers, and while they spend plenty of time on the ground, they’re also comfortable climbing trees and resting above ground. 

Sonries’ current favorite resting spot is a ledge just inside the rightmost viewing window of the jaguar habitat. A tree between the window and ledge provides plenty of shade, and an ideal hiding place. But look closely and you might just see jaguar spots through the leaves! 

How to Spot Sonries 
Are you ready to observe like a zookeeper? Here are a few tips for getting a glimpse of Sonries in his habitat: 

• Try the afternoon. Sonries has shown a preference for staying indoors in the morning, even after his door is opened and he is invited to venture outside. His keepers have noticed that he often makes his first appearance around noon. 

• Look up! Sonries likes resting in high places, so don’t limit your search to the ground. Check the trees, ledges and elevated resting spots throughout the habitat.  

• Circle back. No Sonries? Try again later! He can choose to move throughout his habitat and between indoor and outdoor spaces during the day, so a second visit may bring a completely different view. 

Still Getting to Know Each Other 

A move between zoos is a big change for any animal, and being ready to meet visitors doesn’t mean Sonries is finished settling in at Happy Hollow. He and his care team continue to build their relationship, and every day brings opportunities for training, enrichment and learning more about his individual preferences. 

As Sonries becomes more familiar with his new home, his keepers will continue adapting his care to what they learn about him, and there will be plenty more for guests to discover about Happy Hollow’s newest jaguar, too! 

Ready to put those jaguar-spotting skills to the test? Stop by the jaguar habitat on your next Happy Hollow visit and see if you can find Sonries’ favorite resting spot! 

Follow Along 

This is Chapter 2 of the Meet Sonries series. 

Learn more by reading Chapter 1.

Meet Sonries: Chapter 3 coming soon