(panthera onca)
| Until the early 1960's, the jaguar could be found as far north as the Southwestern US. This cat is now found primarily in Central and South America, rarely in North America. Growing up to seven feet in length, and weighing as much as 200 pounds, the jaguar is the largest of the American cats. In the wild the jaguar is reputed to be a shy creature but does not appear to be afraid of humans. This species prefers the dense tropical rain-forest, or marshland areas, and an abundance of water. |  |
Jaguars are excellent climbers, and one of the most adept swimmers in the cat family. A substantial part of their diet consists of fish, turtles and crocodiles. These cats are also good ground hunters, and will employ a 'stalk and rush' technique to capture their prey. Jaguars will hunt monkeys, tapir, peccaries, rodents, deer and other land animals.
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The jaguar is a powerfully built animal with a huge head, broad chest, short strong legs and retractable claws. While most cats kill with a bite to the neck or throat, the jaguar often kills with a bite directly to the head, puncturing the skull and causing instant death. In this manner, an average size jaguar can take down animals the size of cattle on it's own. While attacks on humans are rare, they have been recorded. Generally such attacks happen when the cat is threatened, old or injured. Jaguars are thought to be nocturnal, but have been known to hunt by day as well, (depending on food availability). |
| The jaguar has a short, smooth, golden colored coat with dark rosettes and a white underbelly. In some jaguars, the base coat color can be so dark that the rosettes can be seen only in bright sunlight. These rare melanistic cats are often referred to as 'black panthers'. Jaguars, like most of the other great cats, communicate vocally, by scent marking, and by tree scratching. Although their call sounds more like a series of coughs than a roar, jaguars are included in the "roaring" cats category. Jaguars are solitary animals, except during the breeding season and use their "roar" as a means of locating a partner. |  |
The jaguar, an animal that was once worshiped by pre-Colombian civilizations, is now in danger of disappearing from the world. It is hunted both by poachers for it's pelt, and by farmers and ranchers for killing their livestock. The jaguars lack of fear make them easier to kill because they will often show themselves to their hunters. However, the jaguars most deadly enemy is deforestation,(habitat loss), and an ever encroaching human population. The estimated world population of jaguar is between 15,000 and 20,000. This number does not take into account individual subspecies, many of which are much closer to the danger mark than the overall estimate suggests.
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For more information about the jaguar, and habitat preservation, visit these sites.... |
