a ferocious feline

Jaguars are the largest cats in the Americas and third in the world after tigers and lions. Males weigh up to 250 pounds, while females are smaller. Like all cats, jaguars are carnivores. They hunt their prey by stalking it and even climbing trees to reach it. They then attack by burying their claws and teeth. Jaguars eat monkeys, wild pigs, fish, turtles, cattle, and even alligators.

Jaguars are nocturnal. Most of them have orange fur with black spots, but some are so black making their spots hard to spot, they are known as black panthers.

Fun facts

• Unlike other cats, jaguars love water. It is common to see them swimming in lakes and rivers, waving their tails over the water to attract fish and other prey.
• The jaguar is at the top of the food chain, it is an apex predator or predator that has no natural predators.
• The jaguar is part of the mythology of numerous American indigenous cultures, including the Mayans and the Aztecs.