Jaguar

Jaguar is a large cat species and the only extant member of the genus Panthera native to the Americas. The jaguar's present range extends from the Southwestern United States and Mexico in North America, across much of Central America, and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America.

Description

The jaguar is a compact and well-muscled animal. It is the largest cat in the Americas and the third-largest after the tiger and the lion. The jaguar's size and weight vary considerably: weights are normally in the range of 56–96 kg (124–211 lb). Females are typically 10–20% smaller than males. The length, from the nose to the base of the tail, of the cats varies from 1.12 to 1.85 m (3.7 to 6.1 ft). Their tails are the shortest of any big cat, at 45 to 75 cm (18 to 30 in) in length.

Habitat and distribution

The jaguar is a near threatened species and its numbers are declining. Threats include loss and fragmentation of habitat. While international trade in jaguars or their parts is prohibited, the cat is still frequently killed, particularly in conflicts with ranchers and farmers in South America.

Behavior

The jaguar is a stalk-and-ambush rather than a chase predator. The cat will walk slowly down forest paths, listening for and stalking prey before rushing or ambushing. The jaguar is often described as nocturnal, but is more specifically crepuscular.

Reproduction

Female jaguars reach sexual maturity at about two years of age, and males at three or four. The cat is believed to mate throughout the year in the wild, although births may increase when prey is plentiful.

In culture

In pre-Columbian Central and South America, the jaguar was a symbol of power and strength. Among the Andean cultures, a jaguar cult disseminated by the early Chavín culture became accepted over most of what is today Peru by 900 BC.

See also:

• Panthera
• Big cats
• Carnivora
• Mammals of the Americas
• National symbols of Brazil
• Symbols of Amazonas

Jaguar Resources
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