Jaguar animal

  1. Meet the Americas’ black (big) cat: six facts about black jaguars
  2. Physical Characteristics
  3. Panther vs Jaguar: 7 Differences / 8 Misconceptions Clarified
  4. Jaguar facts
  5. 20 Amazing Jaguar Facts
  6. 12 Fierce Facts About Jaguars
  7. Jaguar facts
  8. 12 Fierce Facts About Jaguars
  9. 20 Amazing Jaguar Facts
  10. Panther vs Jaguar: 7 Differences / 8 Misconceptions Clarified


Download: Jaguar animal
Size: 7.38 MB

Meet the Americas’ black (big) cat: six facts about black jaguars

Throughout history, black cats have been depicted as bad luck omens and associated with witchcraft. This has wrongly earned them a spooky reputation. But don’t be afraid! With the chill of Halloween in the air, it’s the purr-fect time of year to learn more about our newest, not-so-spooky © Shutterstock The America’s singular black cat Black jaguars are sometimes misidentified as black panthers, which are not actually a species but a term popularly used for melanistic leopards and jaguars which have dark pigmentation. Both black big cats are part of the genus Panthera but leopards are found in Africa and Asia while jaguars are found in the Americas. This black cat isn’t all black A rare variant within the jaguar species, it’s estimated only 11 per cent of jaguars have this dark colouration. But while the black jaguar may appear to be all black, it has spots like other jaguars called “rosettes.” If you look closely at our black jaguar adoption, it boasts these unique rosettes, too. (c) iStock They’re big big cats Jaguars are the third largest cat in the world — after the tiger and lion — and the biggest in the Americas. They can grow up to 170cm long, not including their impressive tails, but their size can vary a lot between regions depending on the size of the local prey. Solitary and skilled hunters Black jaguars live alone, marking their large territories with their scat and by leaving distinctive claw markings on trees. They can kill just about any type of prey they enc...

Physical Characteristics

Body shape • Body robust • Largest extant (living) cat of the Americas • Extinct North American cats, Smilodon and Megantereon, were larger • Size variation • Smaller in equatorial regions and in dense forests, larger north and south of equator • Likely influenced by the size of available prey • Similar to leopards though larger • Chest more deep • Head more broad • Paws larger • Tail shorter • Heaviest cat that climbs well • Limbs • Relatively short • shortest fore- and hind-limbs relative to body size of all pantherine cats • Hindlimbs more narrowly set than forelimbs • Feet and claws • Retractile claw on each digit Facial characteristics • Head • Massive • Circumference usually greater than height at shoulder • Sagittal crest (midline ridge) in males and older individuals • Eyes • Color of iris golden to reddish yellow • Pupil round • Canine teeth • Lower canines relatively larger than in other pantherines • Powerful bite; more powerful than in other large cats Adult pelage • Coat pattern highly variable • Background pale yellow to tan to reddish yellow • Some individuals with much smaller rosettes or without spot • Melanistic individuals common • Nearly all black; spots barely visible • Results from a dominant gene variant • Trait more common than in other large cats, except for leopards • Term "black panther" applies to melanistic jaguars, leopards, and pumas • Spotted with dark rosettes • All ages with spots • Young with adult pattern by c. 7 months of age • "Butterf...

Panther vs Jaguar: 7 Differences / 8 Misconceptions Clarified

• Share • Tweet • Pin What’s the difference: panther vs jaguar? It isn’t as straightforward as you may think. It all depends on what you mean by “panther”. In this post, we’ll clarify what a panther is. And then break down key differences between one of the definitions of “panther” and jaguars (and leopards?). Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • What is a Panther? 4 Explanations (And Common Misconceptions) Panthers are often thought to be a specific species of big cats. But that isn’t true. • The term “panther” can be used to describe several animals. The genus Panthera is the genus that has the following five big cats: • “Panther” could also refer to an ancient mythological creature that, while sometimes described as a big cat, may also have different forms. This may even include, among other forms, having a horned head, long neck, and horse’s body. It is described as emitting a sweet smell that draws in prey, eats them, then sleeps in a cave for three days after feeding. • Some may use “panther” as an interchangeable term for cougars. In fact, one subspecies of cougars is called the Florida panther, found in southern Florida. Despite the term’s usage, the genus for this particular big cat is Puma, and not Panthera. Other names for this animal include puma, mountain lion, catamount, and painter. • “Panther” may be used to describe color variants of big cats, especially among leopards or jaguars. This would include black and white panthers. This is the expl...

Jaguar facts

Check out these magnificent cats in our 10 fab jaguar facts! Jaguar facts 1. Jaguars are the largest of South America’s big cats and the third largest cats in the world. 2. At one time jaguars roamed all the way to the US-Mexico border, but jaguars are now only occasionally sighted in Texas and Arizona. Most jaguars are found in the Love animals? You’d love our magazine! Ask your parents to check out Nat Geo Kids magazine! (AD) 3. The name jaguar comes from the Native American word yaguar, which means ‘he who kills with one leap’. 4. Their fur is usually tan or orange with black spots, called “rosettes” because they are shaped like roses. 5. Jaguars live alone and mark their territory with their waste or by clawing trees. 6. The jaguar’s scientific name is Panthera onca. 7. Jaguars are mammals. They are carnivores and eat a diet rich in meat and fish. 8. They can live to be 12 to 15 years old in the wild. 9. Adult jaguars weigh between 45 to 113 kilograms. 10. From the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail, a jaguar can be 240cm long. Want to learn about other roar-some cats? Then take a look at our Images: Jaguar closeup, Mikelane45 (Dreamstime). Jaguar on branch, Tom Brakefield. Love our jaguar facts feature? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

20 Amazing Jaguar Facts

Jaguar is the only extant Panthera native to the Americas. The present range extends from the Southwestern United States and Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Jaguar facts 1. Jaguar is the 3rd largest feline Jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Americas. Males normally weigh between 56 – 96 kg (123–212 lb). Exceptionally big males have been recorded to weigh as much as 158 kg (348 lb). The smallest females weigh about 36 kg (79 lb). Females are typically 10-20 percent smaller than males. The length of the Jaguar, from the nose to the base of the tail, varies from 1.12 to 1.85 meters (3.7 to 6.1 feet). The animal stands 63 to 76 cm (25 to 30 in) tall at the shoulders. Jaguar is a robust, well-muscled, and very strong animal. Their legs are short but thick and powerful. Close-up of a Jaguar walking along the river bank, Pantanal, Brazil. It is a robust and very strong animal. Image source: 2. Jaguar is a very powerful and feared predator Jaguars can hunt wild animals weighing up to 300 kg (660 lb) in dense jungles, and their short and sturdy physique is thus an adaptation to their prey and environment. They mostly hunt capybaras (a mammal native to South America, the largest living rodent in the world) and giant anteaters. They can also hunt wild boar, collared peccary (a pig-like mammal, they are no longer classified in the pig family, though), nine-banded armadillo, white-n...

12 Fierce Facts About Jaguars

It was much easier to find these big cats a century ago when their territory extended as far north as New Mexico and Arizona in the United States and as far south as Argentina. Due to threats like deforestation and habitat degradation, however, they’ve lost 46% of their historic range. Today, the majority of jaguar populations are condensed to the Amazon basin and are continuing to decrease. • Common Name: Jaguar • Scientific Name: Panthera onca • Average Lifespan in the Wild: 12 to 15 years • Average Lifespan in Captivity: Up to 20 years • IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened 1. Jaguars Have the Strongest Bite of the Cat Kingdom (Relative to Size) These majestic cats have a stocky, heavy build with robust canines and a massive head, allowing them a more powerful bite than any other large cat relative to its size. Studies comparing the bite forces of nine different cat species revealed that, while a jaguar’s bite force is only three-quarters as strong as a tiger’s bite force, jaguars have the stronger bites since they are considerably smaller (up to 170 cm long, not including their tails, which can grow up to 80 cm). A jaguar’s jaw can bite straight through the skull of its prey, and can even pierce the thick skin of a caiman with ease. Photo by James Keith / Getty Images Unlike most cats, Jaguars don’t mind getting wet. They are very strong swimmers and their habitat is usually characterized by the presence of water bodies. Jaguars also need dense forest cover and a suff...

Jaguar facts

Check out these magnificent cats in our 10 fab jaguar facts! Jaguar facts 1. Jaguars are the largest of South America’s big cats and the third largest cats in the world. 2. At one time jaguars roamed all the way to the US-Mexico border, but jaguars are now only occasionally sighted in Texas and Arizona. Most jaguars are found in the Love animals? You’d love our magazine! Ask your parents to check out Nat Geo Kids magazine! (AD) 3. The name jaguar comes from the Native American word yaguar, which means ‘he who kills with one leap’. 4. Their fur is usually tan or orange with black spots, called “rosettes” because they are shaped like roses. 5. Jaguars live alone and mark their territory with their waste or by clawing trees. 6. The jaguar’s scientific name is Panthera onca. 7. Jaguars are mammals. They are carnivores and eat a diet rich in meat and fish. 8. They can live to be 12 to 15 years old in the wild. 9. Adult jaguars weigh between 45 to 113 kilograms. 10. From the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail, a jaguar can be 240cm long. Want to learn about other roar-some cats? Then take a look at our Images: Jaguar closeup, Mikelane45 (Dreamstime). Jaguar on branch, Tom Brakefield. Love our jaguar facts feature? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

12 Fierce Facts About Jaguars

It was much easier to find these big cats a century ago when their territory extended as far north as New Mexico and Arizona in the United States and as far south as Argentina. Due to threats like deforestation and habitat degradation, however, they’ve lost 46% of their historic range. Today, the majority of jaguar populations are condensed to the Amazon basin and are continuing to decrease. • Common Name: Jaguar • Scientific Name: Panthera onca • Average Lifespan in the Wild: 12 to 15 years • Average Lifespan in Captivity: Up to 20 years • IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened 1. Jaguars Have the Strongest Bite of the Cat Kingdom (Relative to Size) These majestic cats have a stocky, heavy build with robust canines and a massive head, allowing them a more powerful bite than any other large cat relative to its size. Studies comparing the bite forces of nine different cat species revealed that, while a jaguar’s bite force is only three-quarters as strong as a tiger’s bite force, jaguars have the stronger bites since they are considerably smaller (up to 170 cm long, not including their tails, which can grow up to 80 cm). A jaguar’s jaw can bite straight through the skull of its prey, and can even pierce the thick skin of a caiman with ease. Photo by James Keith / Getty Images Unlike most cats, Jaguars don’t mind getting wet. They are very strong swimmers and their habitat is usually characterized by the presence of water bodies. Jaguars also need dense forest cover and a suff...

20 Amazing Jaguar Facts

Jaguar is the only extant Panthera native to the Americas. The present range extends from the Southwestern United States and Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Jaguar facts 1. Jaguar is the 3rd largest feline Jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Americas. Males normally weigh between 56 – 96 kg (123–212 lb). Exceptionally big males have been recorded to weigh as much as 158 kg (348 lb). The smallest females weigh about 36 kg (79 lb). Females are typically 10-20 percent smaller than males. The length of the Jaguar, from the nose to the base of the tail, varies from 1.12 to 1.85 meters (3.7 to 6.1 feet). The animal stands 63 to 76 cm (25 to 30 in) tall at the shoulders. Jaguar is a robust, well-muscled, and very strong animal. Their legs are short but thick and powerful. Close-up of a Jaguar walking along the river bank, Pantanal, Brazil. It is a robust and very strong animal. Image source: 2. Jaguar is a very powerful and feared predator Jaguars can hunt wild animals weighing up to 300 kg (660 lb) in dense jungles, and their short and sturdy physique is thus an adaptation to their prey and environment. They mostly hunt capybaras (a mammal native to South America, the largest living rodent in the world) and giant anteaters. They can also hunt wild boar, collared peccary (a pig-like mammal, they are no longer classified in the pig family, though), nine-banded armadillo, white-n...

Panther vs Jaguar: 7 Differences / 8 Misconceptions Clarified

• Share • Tweet • Pin What’s the difference: panther vs jaguar? It isn’t as straightforward as you may think. It all depends on what you mean by “panther”. In this post, we’ll clarify what a panther is. And then break down key differences between one of the definitions of “panther” and jaguars (and leopards?). Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • What is a Panther? 4 Explanations (And Common Misconceptions) Panthers are often thought to be a specific species of big cats. But that isn’t true. • The term “panther” can be used to describe several animals. The genus Panthera is the genus that has the following five big cats: • “Panther” could also refer to an ancient mythological creature that, while sometimes described as a big cat, may also have different forms. This may even include, among other forms, having a horned head, long neck, and horse’s body. It is described as emitting a sweet smell that draws in prey, eats them, then sleeps in a cave for three days after feeding. • Some may use “panther” as an interchangeable term for cougars. In fact, one subspecies of cougars is called the Florida panther, found in southern Florida. Despite the term’s usage, the genus for this particular big cat is Puma, and not Panthera. Other names for this animal include puma, mountain lion, catamount, and painter. • “Panther” may be used to describe color variants of big cats, especially among leopards or jaguars. This would include black and white panthers. This is the expl...