Jaguar by Borislav Stefanov

Jaguars are strong swimmers and climbers and need large areas of tropical rainforests and shorelines to survive. The hunting and habitat loss through deforestation continues to threaten the survival of these wonderful cats. The WWF has worked with the Brazilian government to successfully protect large blocks of the Amazon forest for the Jaguar. In Peru, the WWF continues to pursue jaguars to learn more about their habitat requirements.

Jaguar Facts

1. Jaguars are the largest cat in South America and the third largest cat in the world.

2. At one time jaguars moved to the border between the US and Mexico, but in Texas and Arizona, jaguars are spotted only occasionally. Most jaguars occur in the Amazon basin.

3. The name Jaguar comes from the Indian word yaguar, meaning "who kills with a jump".

4. Their coat is usually brown or orange with black spots called "rosettes" because they are shaped like roses.

5. Jaguars live alone and mark their territory with their garbage or claws of trees.

6. The scientific name of the Jaguar is Panthera onca.

7. Jaguars are mammals. They are carnivores and feed on meat and fish.

8. You can live 12 to 15 years old in the wild.

9. Adult Jaguars weigh between 45 and 113 kilograms.

10. A jaguar may be 240 cm long from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.