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How the jaguar differs from the panther: description and differences. Jaguar (animal photo): agile and beautiful big cat

Jaguar refers to predatory mammals of the feline family, a representative of the panther genus (four in total), living on the American continent. V wildlife in size, the animal is in third place, second only to the tiger and lion. This cat is the most powerful and largest in the Western Hemisphere.

Habitat and characteristics of jaguars

These huge cats live in the meadows and forests of tropical South and Central America, but can also live in the desert. They can be seen in the state of Arizona, which is located in the southern part of the North American continent.

Some scientists are sure that jaguars lived on the planet 2 million years ago, their relatives spread across Asia, Europe, Africa... However, the DNA analysis taken showed that the first jaguar appeared 285-515 thousand years ago, later than the fossil finds suggest.

The characteristics of the "black panther" are as follows:

The body reaches a length of 120-195 cm.
Tail up to a meter.
Height - 76 cm.
Body weight has an average of 56 to 96 kg.
Pregnancy lasts 91-111 days.
The female becomes sexually mature by two or three years, the male - by three or four years.
There are usually 2-3 kittens in a litter, sometimes 1 and 4. Babies are not weaned from their mother until 6 weeks. Then they are with her until they determine the hunting territory for themselves.
The lifespan of an animal in natural conditions 12 years old, in captivity - up to 28.

What jaguars and black panthers look like

What is this representative of the panthers? How is it different from others? Jaguar, a photo of the animal can be seen on our website, looks like a leopard, but more muscular and powerful... Its legs are relatively short, but massive, and its chest is powerful.

You can distinguish it from another feline by the spots on the skin, which are located in the center of the outlet. This animal is similar to a tiger in habitat preference and behavior. Big cat has the most strong jaws among his entire family.

The jaguar has a reputation for being an excellent swimmer. For life, he chooses places where there is a reservoir nearby. He prefers to settle along rivers, in periodically flooded forests and bushes. In open spaces it is almost impossible to see him, since they prefer the shaded conditions of the rainforest more.

The color of the animal's skin makes it invisible while hunting. It is the perfect camouflage and is difficult to distinguish between patches of light and shadow. The characteristic spots are located on the sides and on the back, the inner surfaces of the paws, belly, throat and chin, as a rule, are white.

A distinctive feature of the jaguar of different subspecies, despite the different colors, is the presence black spot in the corner of the mouth and dark spots with white or yellow blotches behind the ear from the back.

These animals were worshiped by Native Americans, including the ancient Maya and Aztecs. The Indians are sure that the jaguar is endowed with hypnosis abilities, with the help of which it deprives the victim of the opportunity to move. And the ancient Maya considered the animal a symbol of the power of the gods.

In nature, sometimes there are dark or completely black jaguars, they are often called " Black Panther". Similar individuals can be seen in leopards. The dark color of these felines is due to large quantity melanin (pigment).

Despite the fact that the jaguar can climb trees well, it eats the caught prey on the ground, and does not hide in the crown of trees from other predators, like a leopard. Prefers to hunt in the dark.

When attacking, the jaguar tries to kill with one precise hit powerful jaws, since he is not able to pursue the victim for a long time, as he quickly fizzles out, although at short distances he can show his abilities as a sprinter. Therefore, it is better for him immediately hit the victim on the spot, for this it uses the tactics of a surprise attack from an ambush.

Each animal has its own hunting area up to 80 sq. km. They prefer to hunt on it large mammals, such as tapira, caliber, baker... If they fail, they can switch to smaller animals, as well as to birds, reptiles, fish, which, like a bear, catches with its front paw.

After the hunt, the jaguar drags the killed prey to a safe place, hides the remains in the ground or just throws. Will never touch the carrion. These big cats are capable of attacking people, this happens extremely rarely, only if they are threatened or they are hungry. People are being watched out of curiosity.

Features of "black panthers"

In most of their habitat, these animals are almost completely exterminated. It's all to blame for poaching, shooting of animals by cattle breeders and the transfer of these big cats from their natural habitats to other lands.

The jaguar is protected in most countries and listed in the international Red Book... However, limited numbers of jaguars are allowed in Mexico, Brazil and some other countries.

And in Bolivia they are even shot for the sake of trophies. All this is sad, because this beautiful predatory cat is one of the most beautiful animals inhabiting our planet, and man is obliged to preserve its population in the wild.

For this latter, the Aztec name was tlatlauhquiocélotl... In one of the Mayan languages, it is called balam, on Mapuche - nahuel and in Quechua - uturuncu, uturunku or unqa... For the most part Latin America it is simply called “ tigre»(Tiger), although his relationship with tigers is rather distant; in Brazil in Portuguese it is called onça .

Quite often the word “ Yahuar"(Yavar / Yavar) or" Yaguar"(Jaguar) occurs in the Quechua language (usually by the Spaniards the Quechuan sound" hua» - « wa / wa", Was written as" gua» - « gua", But there was no consonant in Quechua" G"), Where it means" blood"And one way or another is always associated with blood. This word was part of the names of the rulers of the Incas: Jaguar ukis(mentioned by Fernando Montesinos), Yavar Vacak (Weeping Blood; mentioned by all Peruvian chroniclers since the 1540s). Word " javar / jaguar"Was included in many Quechuan phrases:" Allin yahuar, or yahuarniyoc"- a noble person from a good family or good blood / caste," Yahuar yahuar"- full of blood, bloody," yahuar macintin"- a relative, and many others. Perhaps this word was also a definition for predatory animals (in Quechua, a brave person is compared with a jaguar or puma), from which it got its distribution, since a similar word in the Guarani language became known to Europeans much later, since the active colonization of Paraguay began in 1600 -s, 70 years later than the colonization of Peru ().

Guarani yaguara(jaguarete) meant "one leap killing beast." Some Amazonian Indians, for example, tupi, the jaguar is called, it seems - iawa, iawaraté.

Phylogeny

The main data on the evolution of the species were obtained using paleontological and molecular phylogenetic studies. Jaguar is the only representative of the genus Panthera in the New World. Both molecular and paleontological evidence confirm the jaguar's close relationship with other members of the genus. Last common ancestor this genus and its closest relative, the clouded leopard, lived between 6 and 10 million years ago. The very same species arose, according to paleontological data, about 3.8 million years ago. The main morphological signs indicate that the most close relative jaguar is a leopard. However, DNA research has not been finally completed, and opinions on family ties jaguars differ from one researcher to another. Fossil remains of extinct species of the genus such as the European jaguar ( Panthera gombaszoegensis) and the American lion ( Panthera leo atrox), combine in themselves characteristic signs and a lion and a jaguar. Analysis of the jaguar's mitochondrial DNA showed that the species originated between 510,000 and 280,000 years ago, which is later than the fossil record suggests.

Spreading

The range of the jaguar stretches from Central America to the marshes and selva of Mato Grosso, as well as northern Argentina. The largest jaguars live in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Jaguars are completely wiped out in El Salvador and Uruguay.

The main habitats of the jaguar are tropical rain forests and grasslands, but the animal is also found in semiarid areas overgrown with xerophytic shrubs. He was met in mountain forests, at an altitude of up to 2000 m, and on the ocean coast, where a predator searches for and digs up turtle eggs.

The oldest remains of a jaguar date back to the late Pliocene (about 2 million years). In those days, the jaguar inhabited the entire south of the current United States (the last jaguars were killed here around 1900). Now the range of the jaguar has decreased to a third of the original.

Subspecies

According to various sources, there are from 3 to 9 subspecies of the jaguar, of which at least one (Texas) has been exterminated:

Panthera onca onca(Amazonian jaguar) lives in the rain forests of the Amazon, nominative subspecies;
Panthera onca peruvianus(Peruvian jaguar) - in Peru and Ecuador, often included in the Amazonian subspecies;
Panthera onca hernandesii(Mexican jaguar) - in Mexico;

It often includes the following 4 subspecies:

Panthera onca arizonensis(Arizona Jaguar) - from southern Arizona to Sonora in Mexico;
Panthera onca centralis(Central American Jaguar) - in Central America;
Panthera onca goldmani(Goldman's jaguar) - in Mexico, Belize and Guatemala;
Panthera onca veracrucis(Texas jaguar) - in central Texas (exterminated);
Panthera onca palustris(Brazilian jaguar) - in southern Brazil;
Panthera onca paraguensis(Paraguayan jaguar) - in Paraguay, often included in the Brazilian subspecies;

Lifestyle

Jaguars have a solitary lifestyle. Like all carnivorous cats, jaguars are territorial beasts; the area of the territory of one jaguar occupies from 25 (for females) to 50 or even more (for males) square kilometers, depending on the landscape and the amount of game. As a rule, the male's hunting area is a triangle in shape. On its territory, the male hunts for 3-4 days in a certain area, and then moves to another area. In addition, the beast visits certain "border points" every five or fifteen days. For this reason, the jaguar is a real vagabond, constantly "staggering" along the jaguar. The jaguar is extremely intolerant of other felines (in particular, cougars) on its territory, but it is quite peaceful towards its relatives, and the hunting territories of jaguars often overlap.

The jaguar is a crepuscular predator. Its most active hunting hours are after sunset (approximately 18:30 to 21:30) and before dawn (from 03:00 to 06:00). In captivity, the jaguar lives to be 22-25 years old.

Nutrition

I shuddered strongly with surprise when the growth suddenly changed shape and began to slowly climb up the trunk. I must draw your attention to an inexplicable and very interesting fact: although the animal that I unmistakably recognized by its silhouette was a predator, I did not feel anything like that extraordinary sensation of unaccountable horror that arises when I see a leopard in West Africa, piercing you from head to toe. In front of me on a tree some twelve feet [c. 4 meters] fell to the trunk of the jaguar: in the moonlight, the beast seemed huge, like a real moon-bleached dinosaur, but it did not cause that stupefying, sickening horror in me.

Reproduction

The jaguar does not have a specific breeding season. The female is ready for mating in the third year of life. Although the jaguar is a solitary animal, during weddings they can gather in small groups. It is characteristic that there are almost no fights between males, and the choice of a mate depends entirely on the female. After such a choice, the bride moves to the territory of the chosen one. The male stays with the female only for the mating period.

Approximately 100 days after conception, in a den among stones, in a dense bush or hollow, the female gives birth to two or four cubs. Their pattern is more black than that of their parents, and it does not consist of rosettes, but of solid spots. Young jaguars spend six weeks in the den, and hunt with their mother until they find a suitable hunting area.

Population status

In a significant part of its former range, this species has been almost or completely exterminated. People were changing the natural habitats of jaguars, hunting for the valuable hide, and shooting by herders who feared for the safety of their herds played a role.

The image of the jaguar in culture

In Native American mythology

In the cultures of pre-Columbian America, the jaguar, one of the most strong predators South America, enjoyed special attention and honors. The Olmecs identified with the jaguar; he was the protagonist of the Olmec cult and occupied a central place in the pantheon of the gods. The image of the jaguar could be found on stone sculptures and altars of this people. The Maya, who lived in Central America, revered the jaguar (balam) as the ancestor - three of the first four people were named B'alam K'itze (Jaguar-Cedar), B'alam Aq'ab (Jaguar-Night) and Ik'ib ' alam (Dark Jaguar). As a symbol of power, jaguar skins and head-shaped helmets were worn by chieftains. In Aztec culture, the god Tezcatlipoca was often referred to as a jaguar, whose speckled skin personified the pattern of the starry sky.

In literature

Borges tells the story of the Aztec magician Tsinakana, who reads the imperishable letters left by God on the skin of a jaguar. As conceived by the author, the skin personifies the most reliable information carrier available to God.

In the short story "Brazilian Cat" by Arthur Conan Doyle, a melanistic jaguar is described.

In sports

Jaguar is the automobile manufacturer best known for producing sports cars high class; in Formula 1, there was a team that represented this company for several years.
Mexico's Premier Division football club is called the Jaguares Chiapas.
The American football club in the United States is called the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Notes (edit)

Sokolov V.E. A five-language dictionary of animal names. Mammals. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under general edition acad. V.E.Sokolova. - M.: Rus. yaz., 1984. - P. 108. - 10,000 copies.
Stephen Wroe, Colin McHenry, and Jeffrey Thomason (2006). “Bite club: comparative bite force in big biting mammals and the prediction of predatory behavior in fossil taxa” (PDF). Proceedings of the Royal Society B... Royal Society. 272 (1563): 619-625. DOI: 10.1098 / rspb.2004.2986. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 21, 2006 ... Retrieved June 7, 2006.
Nowak, Ronald M. Walker "s Mammals of the World. - JHU Press, 1999. - Vol. 2. - P. 831. - ISBN 0-8018-5789-9.
Jaguar Fact Sheet (unspecified) ... Jaguar Species Survival Plan. American Zoo and Aquarium Association. Retrieved August 14, 2006.
All about Jaguars: ECOLOGY (unspecified) ... Wildlife Conservation Society. Retrieved August 11, 2006. Archived May 29, 2009.
"Ounce" 2, Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition
Fernando de Montesinos. Ancient historical and political information about Piru. Book two (unspecified) ... www.kuprienko.info (A. Skromnitsky) (July 24, 2008). - translated by V. Talakh, Kiev, 2006. Retrieved October 8, 2009. Archived August 21, 2011.
Pedro Cieza de Leon. Chronicle of Peru. Part one. (unspecified) ... www.kuprienko.info (A. Skromnitsky) (April 28, 2009). Retrieved October 8, 2009. Archived August 21, 2011.
Diego Gonzalez Holguin. Quechua Dictionary (1608). (unspecified) ... www.kuprienko.info (A. Skromnitsky). Retrieved October 8, 2009. Archived August 21, 2011.
Johnson, WE, Eizirik, E., Pecon-Slattery, J., Murphy, WJ, Antunes, A., Teeling, E. & O "Brien, SJ (2006)." The Late Miocene radiation of modern Felidae: A genetic assessment ”. Science. 311 (5757): 73-77.

Jaguar- a beautiful and graceful animal, a representative of the feline family. He is considered the most large predator of the inhabitants of the American continent, ranking third worldwide.

The length of his body is often more than one and a half meters. And especially large males reach a weight of up to 158 kg. Females are much smaller, and average weight individuals are from 70 to 110 kg.

Jaguar has a long tail: from half a meter and more. The height of the animal at the withers reaches 80 cm. The animal belongs to the genus. As seen on animal photo, jaguar looks like it, but much larger.

And in color it is also similar to its predatory relative, but in the structure of the skull it resembles. Has thick and short fur and rounded ears. The color is varied: from bright red to sandy tones, the lower part and soles are white, and dark spots are scattered all over the body.

In nature, and black jaguar – animal, which is not considered a representative of a separate species, but is the result of a manifestation of melanism.

Jaguar - bright representative fauna of the New World and lives in Central and South America. Due to the fierce hunting, the animals were almost completely destroyed in Uruguay and El Salvador.

In the southern United States, its habitat has decreased by a third for the same reason. The jaguar is a resident of the humid tropical jungle, can live in swampy areas and in areas overgrown with xerophytic shrubs.

It is also found in wooded mountainous areas, but at an altitude of no more than two kilometers, as well as on the ocean coast. Scientists count up to nine different jaguar species. Animal needs protection and it is believed that one of its subspecies was completely exterminated.

Pictured is a black and spotted jaguar

The nature and lifestyle of the jaguar

This wild, graceful beast lives in places where it reigns pristine nature and there is a varied animal world... Jaguar prefers a solitary lifestyle.

Like all predators, it protects its territory from encroachments, which is quite extensive and can occupy from several tens to one hundred square kilometers. The size of personal plots depends on the type of landscape, conditions, the abundance of food that can be obtained on it, as well as on the sex of the animal.

Protecting its possessions, the jaguar behaves intolerantly and is extremely aggressive towards cougars, their relatives and representatives of the feline family.

But he treats individuals of his species quite patiently, even showing friendliness in a collision on hunting grounds. When foraging for food, jaguars often move from place to place, and after a few days they return back in order to guard their prey in their former territory again.

On the animal hunting jaguar begins with the onset of dusk, especially active immediately after sunset and in the predawn hours. This beast cannot run for a long time, but at short distances very few people can compare with it. Jaguar animal speed is about 90 km / h.

In pursuit of its prey, it emits guttural abrupt sounds resembling grunts. And in the night his deafening, chilling soul roar is often heard. The Indians of South America seriously believe that the jaguar has special abilities: it has the ability to hypnotize its victims, is able to imitate the voices of animals and birds, luring and deceiving its prey.

Of course, these are only legends, but the spotted color of the animal allows it to blend in with the surrounding landscapes and, remaining unnoticed, lure its victims into a trap. Often he lies in wait for his prey in dense tall grass. Or hiding on the banks of reservoirs, waiting for the animals themselves to come to the watering hole.

Attacking, this deadly huge cat throws himself from the side or from the back, knocking down his victim with the force of his swift body. Such a blow is either fatal or causes serious injury. And even large and strong animals, such as, after a jaguar jump, die on the spot from a spinal fracture.

Its jaws are so powerful, and its teeth are so sharp that it often bites the skull of its prey. Interestingly, the jaguar never pursues its victims if they spotted danger in time and rushed away to flee.

Also, the animal rarely attacks people, especially if not provoked. And the recorded cases of cannibalism are usually associated with self-defense. There are also known examples when a jaguar chased a person solely out of curiosity. Despite the extreme danger of the animal, many have a desire to keep jaguars in large private houses and on household plots.

Any animal, even a predator, is interesting for its habits, character and demeanor. But it is possible to keep a jaguar only subject to strict observance of the conditions of detention and feeding.

And it should be located in a well-equipped aviary with an iron door that opens with cables to protect animal. Buy a jaguar possible in nurseries, zoos and private individuals.

However, the matter is complicated by the fact that this species is listed in the Red Book and is ranked among rare animals. Jaguar price can go up to several tens of thousands.

Nutrition

Animal jaguar as its victims, it can choose ungulate representatives of the fauna: and bakers, it can also attack caimans. Its food can be foxes and monkeys, as well as smaller animals: rodents, snakes and birds.

The predator begins its dinner from the head of the killed victim, gradually reaching the back. When the size of the prey is too large, when it is full, the animal leaves its occupation, sometimes returning to eat the remains, but not always, almost never feeding on carrion.

If the animal is mastered on the territory of the ocean coast, then its favorite delicacy and special delicacy can be turtle meat, the shell of which the predator can easily bite through. Jaguar can attack livestock.

Unlike its feline relatives, the jaguar swims well, often chasing its victims in the water. He is an excellent fish catcher, and he does this in rivers and streams. And settling on the ocean coast, he searches for and digs turtle eggs from the sand.

Reproduction and life expectancy

Jaguars do not have a specific mating season. Seeking the location of females, animals sometimes gather in small groups, which is unnatural for jaguars who prefer solitude in normal conditions.

Pictured is a baby jaguar

At the time of choosing a mate, the ability to have offspring in which comes in the third year of life, the males roar deafeningly and passionately. Despite the aggressiveness of this species, there are usually no fights between rivals in the fight for the female. And after mating, the partners leave each other forever.

And after about a hundred days, in her den, the mother gives life to several cubs. Their color is darker than that of their parents, and the spots on the skin are almost solid.

Children spend about six months with their mother until they learn to hunt on their own. And having learned everything, they leave it forever. In captivity, the jaguar lives up to 25 years, but in freedom, animals die much earlier.

Name: The name of the jaguar is supposedly derived from the word yaguara (jaguarete), which means "one leap killing beast". Some tribes of the Amazonian Indians are called the jaguar - iawa.
Panthera onca Latin translates as "catcher" and "thorn, thorn" (meaning the powerful claws of the jaguar).

Area: North and South America (southern Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Panama, El Salvador, Uruguay, Guatemala, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana).

Description: the largest wildcat in the New World. Outwardly, the jaguar is very similar to a leopard, but larger and heavier, and the head is larger. The limbs are short and powerful, which makes the jaguar appear squat. By the structure of the skull, the jaguar is closer to the tiger than to the leopard, but it is colored the same as the latter. The ears are rounded. The fur is thick and short. Females weigh 20% less than males.

Color: Main body color from sandy to bright red ocher. Bottom (throat, belly, inner side paws) - white. There are scattered spots on the body: solid, rings and rosettes (they are slightly darker than the general background of the body). On the head and paws there is a black speck. On the tail, a pattern of ring spots and rosettes (inside of them the wool is light) is noticeable. The ears are black outside, in the middle yellow spot... There are also completely black individuals that look like panthers.

The size: body length 150-180 cm, tail 70-91 cm, height at withers 51-76 cm.

Weight: 56-150 kg, on average more than 100 kg.

Life span: in nature up to 10 years, in captivity up to 25 years in captivity.

Jaguar roar

It can roar like a lion, and also purrs and purrs. The jaguar's voice resembles a hoarse barking cough or the sound of a tree being sawn.

Habitat: occupies various habitats (dense impenetrable forests, woodlands, steppe, coastal groves, reed thickets). Prefers lowland tropical rainforests with high humidity... Avoids open grassy plains. Loves water spends a lot of time in reservoirs.

Enemies: the main enemy is man.

Food: the jaguar's diet is quite diverse - small and large vertebrates: birds, reptiles (caimans and alligators,), large rodents(capybaras), fish, primates, wild pigs, amphibians, deer.

Behavior: The jaguar is active at any time of the day. Usually goes hunting at dusk and moonlit nights.
Climbs trees well and dexterously, but prefers to move on the ground. He loves water and, if possible, spends a lot of time in it. Swims great.
Most often, the jaguar hunts from an ambush, which he arranges on the banks of reservoirs, in tall grass, in trees, on the paths leading to a watering hole. Attacking the victim, it jumps on its back, trying to knock it down, and grabbing the victim by the neck. The jaguar's bite is so strong that it is able to bite through a cow's skull.
The jaguar is able to cope with a dobey that weighs up to 300 kg. It hunts fish from the shore, throwing it out of the water with blows of powerful paws. It hunts for monkeys in the trees or near the watering hole. Never chases the victim if she starts to run away.
The prey begins to eat from the head, gradually moving to the rear. If the prey is large, the jaguar stays near it for some time. It hardly eats carrion.

Social structure: Out of the breeding season, the jaguar is solitary. Territorial, the area of the site is 25-170 km 2. The size of the hunting area depends on the landscape, abundance of prey and gender. In one area (within its territory), the male keeps no more than 3-4 days, and then moves on. He is extremely intolerant of other representatives of the feline family (for example, cougars), but at the same time he is peaceful with his own kind - the hunting grounds of jaguars often intersect with each other.

Reproduction: the female notifies the males of the onset of estrus by leaving urine marks on the trees. During weddings, jaguars gather in small groups. There are no fights between males, because the choice of a mate depends entirely on the female herself. After her choice, she moves to the territory of the male and remains there for several days. Often one female mates with several males.
For a den, the female chooses a place among stones, in thickets of bushes or in hollows of trees.
The female does not oestrus as long as the cubs remain with her.

Season / period of breeding: during the whole year.

Puberty: females at 2-3 years old, males at 3-4 years old.

Pregnancy: 93-110 days.

Offspring: 1-4 spotted kittens in this litter. The cubs begin to leave the den at 1.5 months of age. At the same age, their mother begins to take them with her on the hunt.
The mortality rate among kittens is high, only 50% of young jaguars survive to two years.
Cubs live with their mother for two years, and then begin their independent life.

Benefit / harm to humans: The jaguar is dangerous to humans, but most often attacks during defense. There is information that when meeting blacks and whites, he prefers to attack the first.
Easily tolerates captivity and breeds in zoos.
Attacks livestock, which is why it is actively pursued by farmers.
Jaguars are hunted for their beautiful fur.

Population / Conservation Status: Jaguar is almost or completely extinct throughout most of its range.
The main threat to the species: poaching, reduction of habitats.
View entered in The IUCN International Red List.
Currently 9 subspecies are recognized Panthera onca, which differ in both size and color and patterns on the body: P. o. onca- Amazonia, P. o. arizonensis- Mexico, P. o. centralis- Central America, P. o. goldmani- Mexico, Belize, P. o. hernandesii- Mexico, P. o. palustris - Southern brazil, P. o. paraguensis- Paraguay, P. o. peruvianus- Peru, Ecuador, P. o. veracrucis- to Texas.
2 million years ago, the jaguar inhabited the entire south of the current United States. At present, the range of the species has decreased to a third of the original.
It crosses with a leopard and a panther and produces hybrids capable of further procreation.

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An animal that can kill in one jump - this is how they say about the jaguar, by the way, the name of the animal is also translated from the language of the American Indians. This beautiful cat was first discovered on the American continent by the colonialists of the New World. And the Maya and Aztecs idolized the animal, and in the places where the jaguar lives, evidence has been found that the inhabitants of these places decorated themselves with his teeth.

Appearance

The jaguar belongs to the genus of panthers and looks like a leopard, but much larger. On the head and body of the animal there is thick fur, short. On the crown there are small black rounded ears with a yellow spot.

The maximum body weight is 150 kilograms, with a height (height at the withers) 80 centimeters. Where does the jaguar live? The largest individuals are found in the state of Mato Grosso (Brazil). Small ones live in Honduras and Guatemala.

The color of the animal is sandy in color, with red spots and a dark brown edging. Paws and muzzle are covered with black specks. The soles and underside of the body are white.

The animal has a very massive jaw, much larger than that of other felines.

Habitat

Where does the jaguar live? Such places can be characterized as sparsely populated. But today there are fewer and fewer such places on the planet, respectively, and the wild cat population is rapidly declining.

Where does the jaguar live - in the Americas? Once upon a time, the animal could be found throughout South America and even in the south. North America... Today, the cat lives in South and Central America up to the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Also found in northern Argentina. In fact, this is only a third of those territories where the animal used to live. In El Salvador and Uruguay, wild cats have been completely exterminated.

Jaguar prefers rainforests, but also occurs on the coast, where it eats sea turtles and their eggs. The animal is found in mountainous areas and can live at an altitude of up to 2 thousand meters above sea level.

The animal leads a solitary life. The territories where the jaguar lives can be up to 100 square kilometers. wild cat can hunt together with their relatives, but will not allow other representatives of the feline family into its territory. Couples are created by animals only for the mating season.

Species diversity

In nature, they are often confused with panthers. Black color is due to melanism, and in this case, such individuals are not a separate species.

There are several types of jaguars and are classified mainly by habitat:

Peruvian, often regarded as an Amazonian species, lives not only in Peru, but also in Ecuador;
Central American (Central America);
Arizona, lives in southern Arizona and up to the Sonora territories in Mexico;
Mexican (Mexico)
Brazilian, found in southern Brazil;
Paraguayan, often regarded as a Brazilian subspecies and lives in Paraguay;
Texas, formerly in central Texas, is now considered a completely extinct species;
Amazonian, nominative subspecies, prefers the rainforests of the Amazon;
Goldman's jaguar, this species lives in Guatemala, Mexico and Belize.

On which continent does the jaguar live? The wild cat lives in South America and is listed in the Red Book. Partial shooting is allowed in Mexico and Brazil.

An amazing swimmer who can't growl

The animal is an excellent swimmer. You can overcome more than 10 kilometers in one swim. The animal can use logs to make it easier to swim. By the way, a cat can hunt even in water.

Wild cat jaguar does not know how to growl at all. Before attacking, she makes hissing and snorting sounds. It is believed that the animal is able to imitate voices, in particular the sounds that a baby monkey makes. The jaguar does this in order to attract monkeys and attack them.

The largest individual that humans have ever seen is the 158-kilogram jaguar. Although often the weight of the animal does not exceed 130 kilograms.

Jaguar and lion can interbreed in the wild. However, in such a union, sterile offspring are born.

Each animal has its own individual color, which is never repeated.

Where does the jaguar live? Mainland - South and Central America, the countries of the New World, in other parts of the world the animal is not found.

The beast can even attack a crocodile, although only young animals, adults for a jaguar are too serious rivals. A cat can attack any animal, from rodents to deer, while instantly biting the victim's throat. There were cases when a cat attacked an anaconda, and this is the most big snake all over the planet. The animal hunts at night and sleeps during the day. Attacks its victim from an ambush. A person can be attacked only if he defends himself from him.

Fossil remains of the animal give the right to say that the jaguar is the oldest inhabitant of the planet. The beast has lived on Earth for at least 2 million years.