Jaguar

Description: The jaguar is the third largest cat behind the tiger and lion and is the largest cat in the western hemisphere. The spotted markings resemble that of a leopard except that the jaguar has a black spot inside the rosettes. It is known as a stalk and ambush predator catching anything from frogs and mice up to deer, anacondas and even caimans. They are usually solitary except during the mating season and when a female has cubs. They have very powerful jaws allowing them to pierce the shell of reptiles and to crush the skull of their prey.

Distribution: The jaguars range starts in the southern USA and extends through the jungles of Central America as far south as Northern Argentina. Its habitat ranges from the dense jungles of Central and South America to the open wetlands of the Pantanal in Brazil.


Level of Protection: The jaguar is considered “Near Threatened” and its population is on the decline due to habitat destruction and farming methods. Due to the fact that jaguars live in thick rainforest it is difficult to estimate the population left in the wild today.

Best time to visit: One of the best places to see the jaguar in the wild is in the Pantanal in Brazil. The best time to see jaguars is during the drier months between late June and late October when the jaguars prey animals congregate around the diminishing water.