Anatomy Jaguars can reach up to six feet in length—from nose to tip of tail—and stand three feet tall at the shoulder
The average male jaguar weighs about 120 pounds, but some individuals can weigh up to 300 pounds
Most jaguars weigh only two kilograms at birth
Jaguars are most famous for their beautiful spotted coats
These allow them to hide among the grasses, bushes and trees that dominate the jaguar’s habitat
The rare completely black (melanistic) jaguar is what we commonly call the black panther
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The habitat of jaguars is distributed in tropical forests, seasonally flooded forests, grasslands, woodlands and dry deciduous forests
Jaguars spend most of their time on the ground
They use their padded paws to move silently across the forest floor
Although not as agile as a leopard, jaguars can climb trees to hunt or rest
Diet Jaguars are mainly nocturnal hunters
They use their excellent eyesight and sharp teeth to ambush their prey and crush their skulls
Jaguars are known to feed on more than 85 species of prey, including armadillos, peccaries, capybaras, tapirs, deer, squirrels, birds, and even snails
Not limited to hunting on land, jaguars are adept at catching fish, turtles and young caiman from the water
They can even hunt monkeys and other tree dwellers that occasionally bring down branches
Unfortunately, jaguars compete with humans for most of their prey
In many regions, they are shot because of fear, livestock care or competition for hunting
Threats Unlike many other species, the jaguar faces no natural threats from rival cats or other predators, except humans
At the height of their decline in the 1960s and 1970s, more than 15,000 jaguars were killed each year for their beautiful fur
Although the jaguar fur trade has declined with consumer awareness campaigns, they continue to face pressure from poachers
In addition, habitat loss increases the frequency of contact between humans and jaguars
There are believed to be 15,000 jaguars in the wild today
If jaguars are to exist in the future, scientists believe it will be through a combination of specially protected areas and increased public awareness
Encyclopedia of Rainforests
“Jaguars,” Isle of Wight Zoo website, 2007
“Jaguar,” Big Cats Online website, 2007
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
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