|
 The
Jaguar (Panthera Onca)
The
jaguar represents one of the five species of the
Panthera genus - which includes leopards, lions,
snow leopards and tigers - and is the largest
big cat native to the Western Hemisphere. It
is the only big cat which does not roar, although
it does have a deep and hoarse cry during mating.
In
appearance, the jaguar vaguely resembles that
of the leopard - but the former has a larger jaw
and head and there are significant differences
in the coats of the two species. The
massively and powerfully-built jaguar with its
relatively-short limbs, deep-chested body and
large head, varies in colour from pale yellow
to reddish brown with pale to light buff underparts.
 It
has black spots on the head, neck and limbs and
large black blotches on the back and flanks, shoulders
and underparts – the pattern of its coat camouflaging
it superbly in the dappled light of the forest.
Completely
black jaguars, however, are not uncommon in the
southern parts of the animal’s range. Venerated
by all Indian peoples as a God, the jaguar is
also known as ‘El Tigre,’ ‘Frijolillo’ and ‘Tigre
Leon’. It
is believed to devour not only the bodies of the
living – although fatal incidents between the
animal and man are rare - but also the souls of
the dead.
An
average adult male weighs between 125 and 265
pounds and females tip the scales at between 100
and 198 pounds. The
northern jaguar is quite small, averaging only
about 100 pounds, with the mean size increasing
dramatically south of Panama to some 300 pounds.
Claims of even 450 pounds have been made. Despite
their relatively heavy bodies, they are good climbers
and, uniquely among big cats, are good swimmers.
GEOGRAPHICAL
DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION STATUS
 The
Jaguar’s former range was from the American
Southwest to Argentina but it is extinct north
of the Yucatan today.
The
last jaguar in California was killed in 1860
and the animal had disappeared completely from
the United States by 1950.
It
is known to be distributed throughout Central
and South America as far south as Patagonia
but, although there have been investigations
to determine territories by radio-tracking,
there is no means of accurately determining
numbers.
One
jaguar tagged by a biologist was later seen
500 miles away in a new hunting location.
The
animal is known to be endangered, however -
it features in the CITES Appendix 1 list - due
to habitat destruction, persecution as a predator
and poaching for its fur.
HABITAT
AND FEEDING
 Habitat
includes forests and savannahs but jaguars need
the presence of copious fresh water.
They
hunt in trees during the day and on the ground
at night, stalking or ambushing their prey -
which includes capybaras, caiman, fish, pacas,
peccaries (wild pigs), sloths, spider monkeys,
tapirs and turtles - and regularly killing it
by piercing the skull.
Water-loving
jaguars, found deep in the Amazonian region,
commonly eat fish, frogs, turtles and small
alligators.
Range-wide,
it is estimated that prey encompasses more than
85 species of animals, including armadillos,
birds, deer and rodents.
In
areas where nocturnal prey is abundant, the
jaguar will hunt at night, when its eyesight
is as sharp as during the day.
After
killing its prey, a jaguar will drag it into
cover before eating it, often burying part of
a large carcass to finish later.
Attacks
on man are extremely rare but do occur - although
jaguars generally prefer to steer well clear
of humans.
On
the other hand, there are stories from Amazonian
Indians which tell of jaguars emerging from
the forest to play with village children.
COURTSHIP
AND MALE CONFLICT
Jaguars
are secretive and solitary except in the breeding
season when they come together to mate.
Special
receptors in the roof of a male’s mouth pick
up and analyse scents left by a female, probably
in her urine, and let him know her breeding
condition.
When
a male knows a female is almost ready to mate
he will follow her wherever she goes, despite
remaining wary of rejection.
When
she finally accepts him and they mate, they
will remain together for a week or so before
the male leaves to patrol his wider territory,
which may cover that of several females - as
much as 170 square kilometres.
Great
distances need to be covered regularly, over
land and water, to protect his females from
the attentions of other males.
One
way jaguars advertise ownership of a territory
is by scratching the sides of trees or logs
- deep gouges let females know he’s around and
warn other males to keep clear.
REARING
YOUNG AND DEFENCE
Jaguars
prefer to make their den in caves or holes in
the forest floor, where giant trees once stood,
and away from areas that flood.
They
generally breed year-round, range wide, and
a litter of between one and four cubs (usually
two) weighing less than a kilogram (2¼ pounds)
each is born after a gestation period of some
100 days.
The
cubs are blind at birth but open their eyes
at between 3 and 13 days, are weaned at the
age of between 5 and 6 months and stay with
their mothers for the first two years of their
life.
Jaguars
reach sexual maturity between the ages of three
and four - females at three and males at four
- and are thought to be capable of living for
some 22 years, although studies have documented
few animals over 11.
SOCIAL
INTERACTION AND HIERARCHY
Even
today, virtually nothing is known of the family
life of the jaguar in the wild and biologists
trying to study its natural habitat are handicapped
because it has become so rare.
The
zoos where the animal has been bred successfully
provide most information.
CONSERVATION
All
eight sub-species of Panthera onca are endangered
and many are extinct except in zoos, where they
breed successfully.
Greatest
threats to numbers remaining are through over-hunting
for their fur and the loss of habitat through
forest-clearance.
Most
information about the animals comes from individuals
held in captivity - as wild jaguars have become
so rare that biologists find it difficult to
trace and study them.
Back
|
