Jaguar

Is the largest feline in the Americas, reaching 135 kg. It is an animal with a robust frame, endowed with great muscular strength and the force of its bite is considered the largest of all felines. Another striking feature of this species is that it does not meow like most felines. Like the Lion, Tiger and Leopard, it sends a very strong series of grunts, known as a roar that can be heard for kilometres.

It has golden yellow fur with black spots on the head, neck and legs. The shoulders, back and flanks have spots forming rosettes that have, inside, one or more dots. The Leopard (Panthera pardus), which occurs in Asia and Africa, also has rosettes, but without the black dots inside. Individuals may also be found that are entirely black, which is just a melanic characteristic not a different species. Even in these melanic individuals, the spots can be viewed under oblique light.

Originally the distribution of jaguars went from south-western United States to northern Argentina. Now jaguars are officially extinct in the United States, and very rare in Mexico, but can still be found in Latin America, including Brazil. In general, however, their populations have declined where the species comes into conflict with human activities. In Brazil it has virtually disappeared from most parts of the northeast, south and southeast.

It occurs in several types of habitat, from forests like the Amazon and Atlantic forest, to open environments such as the Pantanal and the Cerrado. They are solitary animals, with increased activity at dusk and at night. They are territorial, occupying, depending on the type of habitat, 22 to over 150 km2, and the territory of a male may often overlap two or more females.

Their natural prey consists of wild animals such as white-lipped and collared peccaries, capybaras, deer, armadillos and even crocodiles. However when the numbers of natural prey decrease, usually as a result of changes caused by man, jaguars may turn to feed on domestic animals and are therefore persecuted.

Males and females only come together during the reproductive period. Gestation is 93 to 105 days, with a litter of only one or two cubs. The mother takes care of the cubs until they are approximately two years old. During this period, she teaches the young how to hunt and survive.

The destruction of habitat coupled with poaching mainly as a result of the alleged economic harm caused by predation on domestic livestock has resulted in severe population declines. It is classified by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and by IBAMA as vulnerable and is on Appendix I of CITES.