Jaguar Wild Cat

Species:…….. Panthera onca Range:…….. Mexico to Argentina Size: Head and body length 1 – 1.8 metres Diet: Large mammals e.g. capybaras Active: Peaks at dawn and dusk Chance To See Wild: The Jaguar Research Center Tucano Amazon Cruise

Jaguars have dark yellow, black-spotted fur on their upper back and a long spotted or banded tail. Other Jaguar facts are that they are the only spotted big cats in the New World and at night usually walk on man made trails.

Jaguar Habitat and Threats

Often living in areas close to water, if there is little hunting you may see jaguars sunning themselves on logs in the mornings. These cats are rare of absent in a lot of their native range due to hunting for the fur trade, habitat loss, and persecution from ranchers. When their habitat is destroyed they hunt cattle they see replacing natural prey. Despite their status, they can be locally common in parts of Amazonia. The rainforest and wetlands provides ideal habitat of the jaguar.

Predators

The jungle cats are the most specialised of tropical rainforest animals for meat eating. They possess retractable claws to keep them sharp. When catching prey, they hook their claws into the animal to deliver a piercing bite to the neck, severing the spinal cord resulting in quick death.

More Rainforest Animals
Back to Mammals
Uakari
Capybara
Rainforest Monkeys



Related Pages
1. Tucano Amazon Cruise
2. The Jaguar Research Center
3. What to do in the Amazon Rainforest
4. Why are rainforests so diverse?