Jaguar
Panthera onca

Where do I Live?
The jaguar is the largest cat of the Americas, and the only living representative of the genus Panthera found in the New World.   Once found in the US  through the Amazon basin to the Rio Negro in Argentina. The Jaguar has been virtually eliminated from much of the drier northern parts of its range, as well as northern Brazil, the pampas scrub grasslands of Argentina and throughout Uruguay. It is now estimated to occupy only about 46% of its historic range.
The jaguar prefers thick rainforest, but is found in swamp areas, pampas grassland, thorn scrub woodland, and dry deciduous forest  - but is strongly associated with the presence of water and like the tiger enjoys swimming.

About me..  Length: 1.1 to 1.8 meters; tail length 45 to 75 centimetres. Weight: males—average 54 kilograms, females—average 32 kilograms.  Life span: 12 to 15 years in the wild. Gestation: 3 to 3.5 months after which time 1-4 cubs are born.  Forest jaguars are much smaller in size than the ones inhabiting open areas. This may be due to the fact that forests have a smaller number of large herbivorous prey. We also know that the jaguars commonly take refuge in brush thickets and, when the forest floor is flooded, can live on the trees for months.

What dangers do I face in the wild ? Deforestation and competition with people over food are the biggest threats to jaguars.  Although commercial hunting and trapping for fur has decreased since the 1970’s there is still demand for jaguar paws, teeth and other parts.

The eyes have it
Like other cats, jaguars have eyes that are adapted for night hunting. One key element is their “eyeshine” caused by a mirror-like structure called the tapetum lucidum. The tapetum lucidum in the back of their eye reflects light into the retina, nearly doubling their ability to see. If you have a pet cat or dog, you can see this “eyeshine” at night. Jaguars see less detail and colour in daylight but have better vision at night in low light.

What do I eat?   Jaguars stalk and ambush prey at night, instead of chasing it like cheetahs and lions do. They can run pretty quickly, but this is not an important skill for them. Their large jaw muscles allow them to kill their prey by piercing the skull with their sharp teeth. This allows them to eat hard-shelled reptiles like turtles and tortoises. Researchers have counted over 85 species in the jaguar diet, including peccaries, deer, tapirs, cattle, and capybaras.   
The South American native word for jaguar, yaguara, means "animal that kills in a single bound."

The eyes have it: Like other cats, jaguars have eyes that are adapted for night hunting. One key element is their “eyeshine” caused by a mirror-like structure called the tapetum lucidum. The tapetum lucidum in the back of their eye reflects light into the retina, nearly doubling their ability to see. If you have a pet cat or dog, you can see this “eyeshine” at night. Jaguars see less detail and colour in daylight but have better vision at night in low light.

A roaring good time:  There are four big cats in the biological grouping called Panthera:  jaguars, lions, tigers, and leopards. These are the only big cats that can roar. They roar to scare off other animals and defend their territory.  The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest and most powerful feline in the Western Hemisphere.