Jaguars (Panthera onca)
Photo of the Week - 08/19/2007
One of the four big cats (tiger, lion and leopard) of the Panthera genus, the jaguar is a largest and most powerful feline in the Western Hemisphere, with a range extending from Mexico, through Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina.
"This spotted cat most closely resembles the leopard physically, although it is of sturdier build and its behavioural and habitat characteristics are closer to those of the tiger. While dense jungle is its preferred habitat, the jaguar will range across a variety of forested and open terrain. It is strongly associated with the presence of water and is notable, along with the tiger, as a feline that enjoys swimming. The jaguar is a largely solitary, stalk-and-ambush predator, and is opportunistic in prey selection. It is also an apex and keystone predator, playing an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating the populations of prey species. The jaguar has developed an exceptionally powerful bite, even relative to the other big cats."
Jaguar.
For more information, discover the Wildlife, Conservation and Endangered Species of South America.
Photo thanks to ClipArt.com
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