Jaguar, animal



The Jaguar (Panthera onca) is a wild cat species native to planet Earth, and the only extant member of the genus Panthera native to the Americas. The jaguar's present range extends from the Southwestern United States and Mexico in North America, across much of Central America, and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America. With the de-industrialization of Earth and the sharp decline of large scale agriculture and population, many endangered species made a comeback, including the Jaguar. The animal can be once more be encountered in the former region of the United States.

Overall, the jaguar is the largest native cat species of the New World and the third largest in the world. This spotted cat closely resembles the leopard but is usually larger and sturdier. It ranges across a variety of forested and open terrains, but its preferred habitat is tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest, swamps and wooded regions. The jaguar enjoys swimming and is largely a solitary, opportunistic, stalk-and-ambush predator at the top of the food chain. As a keystone species, it plays an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating prey populations.

While international trade in jaguars or their body parts is prohibited, the cat is still frequently killed, particularly in conflicts with ranchers and farmers in South America. Although reduced, its range remains large. Given its historical distribution, the jaguar has featured prominently in the mythology of numerous indigenous American cultures, including those of the Maya and Aztec.