Exploring the World of Wildlife: 10 facts about the Jaguar | Jaguar what we know so far

The jaguar is a member of the feline family found in the two Americas. Many people confuse jaguars with leopards, but jaguars are much bigger and stronger than leopards, although these animals look very similar.

Fact number one.

Jaguars used to be very common in South America. Recently, these predators have been reduced by a factor of three. In countries like El Salvador and Uruguay, this big cat has been completely exterminated. Now a jaguar population in North America, ranging from the southwestern United States to Central America included in the Red Book.

Fact number two.

There are 9 species of the jaguar: Amazon jaguar; Peruvian jaguar; Paraguayan jaguar; Mexican jaguar; Texas jaguar; Arizona jaguar; Central American jaguar; Brazilian jaguar; Goldman jaguar. The jaguar from Texas is considered fully extinct.

Fact number three.

The spotted coloration of the jaguar is as unique as the human finger pattern. No two predators in nature are exactly alike, even if they are relatives.

Fact number four.

The most unusual representative of these predators is the black jaguar. This animal is mistakenly called a panther. The panther is not considered a separate species, it is the name of a biological genus. The black jaguar is merely a manifestation of melanism. It is a unique representative of the animal world. It is characterized by its atypical coloration.

Fact number five.

The animal’s habitat is a triangle of thirty to one hundred square kilometers. Females have less space and males have more. Three times a month, the predator walks the boundaries of its territory. His insane speed allows it to do so quite quickly.

Fact number six.

 Jaguars are exclusively nocturnal. During the day, these predators prefer to sleep somewhere in hiding. The jaguar’s hunt begins at night. The animal tries to catch its prey in one place for several days, and then, if the attempt is unsuccessful, it moves to another part of the territory. Since the jaguar lives in the impenetrable jungle, mountains or on the ocean coast, both birds and cloven-hoofed animals can be its food. The animal usually hunts wild pigs, deer, foxes, roe deer, and rodents.

Fact number seven.

The Jaguars are excellent swimmers. There is evidence that they have swum great distances—tens of kilometers. To overcome water obstacles, jaguars often use logs just as humans would use them—clinging to them and paddling.

Fact number eight.

  The main trump card of these cats is speed. Because of their excellent speed, rare prey manages to escape. Neither trees nor water can be a refuge, for jaguars are excellent swimmers and tree climbers.

Fact number nine. 

Puberty in these cats occurs at the age of three. From that moment, predators can mate at any time, as they do not have a specific breeding season. It happens that during the mating season, they gather in groups in one place. The female chooses her own mate and comes to the territory where the male inhabits. The duration of pregnancy in jaguars is one hundred and ten days. One to four cubs are typically born. For the first year after birth, the cub is closely linked to its mother and does not fall behind.

Fact number ten. 

The largest jaguar that researchers have ever come across weighed one hundred and fifty-eight kilograms. But usually, jaguars weigh less than one hundred and twenty kilograms. Jaguars eat in two doses, with a break of ten hours. Predators can simply throw the remains of a killed animal and not return to them.

The twenty-ninth of November marks International Jaguar Day. The aim is to draw attention to the vulnerability of this predator.

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