Jaguar
- scientific name
:
Panthera onca - top speed
:
80 km/h - order
:
Carnivora
Size
The jaguar is a large felid of the genus Panthera. It is muscular, with a compact body, a broad head and powerful jaws. Its fur is typically orange or tan with black rosette-shaped markings.
LifeSpan
In the wild, jaguars live 11-15 years. With proper care in captivity, they can live over 20 years.
Conservation Status
The jaguar is Near Threatened due to habitat destruction and fragmentation across its Latin American range.
Distribution
Jaguars are found from Mexico to Argentina in tropical and subtropical moist forests, wetlands and savanna habitats.
Coevolution
Revered by indigenous cultures, the jaguar embodies power and ferocity. It was prominent in rituals, folklore and shamanism for cultures like the Maya and Aztec. Jaguars represent the mysterious forces of nature.
Nutrition
As apex predators, jaguars have an expansive diet of over 85 species. They prey on mammals like tapir, capybara and peccary but also target livestock, exacerbating human conflicts.
Lifestyle
Jaguars are solitary animals with minimal social structure beyond mothers and cubs. Males establish large home ranges which they advertise via scraping and scent marking behaviors.