Jaguars

Jaguars belong to the Panthera genus and their scientific name is Panthera onca — they’re the only Panthera species native to the Americas!

A group of jaguars is called a “shadow,” though they usually prefer to live alone!

Jaguars can be found from Mexico all the way down to northern Argentina, living in rainforests, swamps, and grasslands!

While wild jaguars typically live 11–15 years, those in captivity can live up to 20–30 years!

Adult male jaguars can weigh up to 250 pounds (113 kg), which is about the same as three big dogs, like a Labrador Retriever!

A male jaguar is called a tom, a female is called a queen, and a baby is called a cub!

Jaguars are the third-largest big cat species in the world, after tigers and lions!

A jaguar’s spotted coat pattern is called a “rosette” because each spot looks like a rose made of black dots!

Every jaguar’s spot pattern is unique, just like human fingerprints — no two jaguars have exactly the same spots!

Jaguars can grow up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) long from nose to tail — that’s about as long as two kids lying head-to-toe!

A jaguar’s paw print is about the size of a human adult’s hand!

Unlike most cats, jaguars actually enjoy swimming and have webbed toes to help them move through water!

A jaguar’s tail can be up to 32 inches (81 centimeters) long, helping them balance when climbing trees and running!

Jaguars have the strongest bite force of any big cat — they can bite through turtle shells and crocodile skulls!

The spots on a jaguar’s coat help them blend into dappled sunlight in the forest, making them nearly invisible to prey!

A jaguar’s eyes have special reflecting layers that help them see six times better than humans in the dark!

Some jaguars can be completely black (called melanistic) and are often known as “black panthers”!

A jaguar’s whiskers are about as thick as a spaghetti noodle and help them navigate in the dark!

Jaguars are excellent swimmers and can cross wide rivers carrying prey in their mouths!

Unlike lions, jaguars prefer to live and hunt alone rather than in groups!

Jaguars mark their territory by scratching trees and leaving scent marks that can last for several weeks!

A jaguar can leap up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) in a single bound — that’s about the length of a small car or two sofas placed end-to-end!

Jaguars communicate with each other using a variety of sounds, including roars, grunts, and even a purr-like sound called a prusten!

Jaguars are crepuscular, meaning they’re most active at dawn and dusk when their prey is easier to catch!

Jaguars can sometimes climb trees while carrying their prey!

Jaguars can live in many different environments, from rainforests to grasslands, and even in mountains up to 8,000 feet high!

A male jaguar may have a territory as large as 50 square miles — that’s about the size of 24,200 football fields!

Jaguars are excellent climbers and often rest in trees to stay cool and watch for prey!

Unlike most big cats, jaguars don’t avoid water and will often cool off in rivers and streams during hot days!

Jaguars cats can survive in flooded forests during rainy seasons by moving through the treetops!

Jaguars have been known to live in areas ranging from sea level all the way up to snowy mountain peaks!

Jaguars can live in dense jungle, open grassland, and even semi-desert environments!

Jaguars help maintain healthy ecosystems by controlling prey populations and removing sick animals!

Baby jaguars are born blind and helpless, weighing only about 1.5 to 2 pounds (700 to 900 grams) — about as much as a large water bottle when filled!

Jaguar cubs open their eyes for the first time when they’re about two weeks old!

Mother jaguars raise their cubs alone and teach them to hunt for about two years!

A mother jaguar usually has 1–4 cubs at a time, and she moves them to a new den every few days to keep them safe!

Jaguar cubs start eating meat when they’re about three months old but continue drinking their mother’s milk for six months!

Young jaguars learn to hunt by playing with their siblings and practicing pouncing on moving objects!

By the time they’re six months old, jaguar cubs have already learned to swim!

Female jaguars usually have their first cubs when they’re about three years old!

Jaguar cubs start climbing trees when they’re about six weeks old!

Jaguars can eat 85 different species of prey — including fish, turtles, monkeys, and even caimans (similar to alligators)!

Unlike other big cats, jaguars kill their prey with a powerful bite to the skull rather than the throat!

A hungry jaguar can eat up to 50 pounds (23 kg) of meat in one meal — that’s like eating 200 hamburgers!

Jaguars are the only big cats that regularly hunt prey underwater!

Jaguars don’t need to drink water every day because they get moisture from their prey!

Unlike most cats, jaguars crush bones with their powerful jaws and eat them for extra nutrients!

There are only about 173,000 jaguars left in the wild today!

Jaguars are considered “Near Threatened” because their population has decreased by about 25% in the last three generations!