ANIMAL: Jaguar Panthera onca Type of Animal: Feline Habitat: Tropical/subtropical forest, grassland, rivers, marshland, small caves, shrubland, savanna, swamps, scrubland, woodlands, desert, dry forest, lower mountainous areas, wetlands, floodplains Location(s): Mexico & C. America south to Paraguay & N. Argentina. Returning to parts of S.W. US in Arizona & New Mexico. Historically, found in S. California & S. Texas. Appearance: Most specimens yellow-orange w/ black spots, square head, & muscular build. Also mutations of black jaguars. Look a lot like leopards but larger. Food/Diet: Capybara, anteaters, agoutis, mice, rats, squirrels, pacas, cavies, nutrias, deer, peccaries, birds, fish, turtles, armadillos, crocodilians, tapirs, monkeys, sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, equines, rabbits, snakes (especially anacondas & boa constrictors), tortoises, domestic dogs, foxes, bush dogs, coatis, sloths, bear cubs, larger lizards, & frogs. There have been a couple rare cases of man-eating jaguars. Anacondas & large crocodilians engage in fights to death w/ jaguar w/ whoever dies 1st being eaten. Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in zoos & wildlife parks Lifestyle: Solitary, though male-female pairs sometimes hunt together/share kills outside of breeding season. Sibling groups also occur. Additional Info: Called: Male-Jaguar Female-Jaguaress Young-Cub Group-Prowl/Leap Weight: Male-110-220 lbs Female-75-175 lbs Young-30-70 lbs Gestation: 3.5 months Height: 3 ft Body Length: 3-5 ft Life Span: 18-20 years Tail Length: 1.5-2.5 ft Males & females very territorial & will fight to the death over territory. Males will kill cubs that aren’t their own, & sometimes their own cubs. Declining due to deforestation, poaching for fur/sport, persecution as livestock predators, habitat loss, & competition w/ humans for food. 3rd largest feline after tigers and lions. Cubs stay w/ mom for 2 years & she defends them from humans & strange male jaguars. Strange male jaguars kill cubs to put female back into heat. Sexually mature at 2 years old. One male territory encompasses 3-4 female territories. Fun Fact(s): Word jaguar comes from Mesoamerican word “yaguara” meaning “kills with a bound.” Jaguars played key roles as gods in Mesoamerican cultures. THESE CATS SOMETIMES CONSIDERED MORE DANGEROUS THAN LION OR TIGER DUE TO KILLING STYLE OF BITING BRAIN & STRONGER TEETH COMPARED TO OTHER BIG CATS.
