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The jaguar is the subject of many myths and hunters’ tales. The largest American wildcat, it is now rare in its natural habitat as the result of being hunted for its attractive fur. Also, there is very little known about them, since there are hardly any more jaguars left in the wild. Most study is done with the captive jaguars in zoos. Jaguars live in a variety of habitats, from dense jungle and scurbland to reed thickets and shoreline forests. They will even live in open country, provided the grass and rocks offer enough cover for hunting, and a reliable supply of water is available.
They are solitary, only seeking each other during the breeding season. The male and female will stay with each other for a short time to mate. Males and females meet in the wild only to mate. The male leaves as soon as the mating is over, and the female brings up the young on her own. The young jaguar will stay with its mother for a few years before leaving to find hunting territories of its own. The size of a jaguar’s territory depends on the food availability. In an area where food is plentiful, like a forest, a jaguar can survive in a circular area of about 3 miles in diameter. When food is scarce, it may need to roam over an area of 200 square miles.
Jaguars hunt mainly on the ground; however they will climb trees to lie in wait for prey. The jaguar can cover short distances rapidly, but can tire quickly. It hunts mainly at night and often surprises its unsuspecting prey. Its food consists mostly of forest animals varying in size from mice to deer. The jaguar is a terrific swimmer and also eats frogs, fish, turtles, and small alligators. It’s especially skilled at catching fish, which it does by flipping the fish out onto the riverbank with its paw. Jaguars will also kill domestic animals, particularly where the forest has been cleared for farmland.
All black jaguars are not uncommon. For example, there could be a spotted father and a black mother. Some jaguars are tagged and were found 500 miles away in another hunting location. The jaguar is the only big cat that does not roar. Amazonian Indians tell of jaguars emerging from the forest to play with the village children. The difference between a jaguar and a leopard is that its spots are bigger, its jaw is bigger and its body is bigger. Also, they might have the same outline shape but the jaguar is more heavily built, with a stocky appearance and sturdy legs.
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