Wild animal jaguar: description and lifestyle. Mysterious wild cat - black jaguar: description, habitat On which mainland does the jaguar live

The largest jaguar in the world lives in the Western Hemisphere - a dangerous, powerful beast that causes panic fear in the animals adjacent to it. This cat, one of four species of the panther genus, is not tameable. In Latin American countries where the jaguar is found, it is called "el tigre", which means tiger. The beast is happy to hunt cattle, which has incurred the hatred of farmers. Hunters shot the beast until the populations were almost completely destroyed.

The largest jaguar caught by hunters is considered to be an impressive specimen weighing 180 kg and 190 cm long. The usual weight is 70-110 kg. Females are 20% smaller, average body weight 60-80 kg. Height at the withers 60 - 85 cm Jaguar surprisingly secretive and resourceful. He copes with any prey. Wildlife researchers unanimously argue that it is impossible to see a jaguar if he himself does not want to.

Jaguar habitats

A million years ago, the predator lived in vast expanses of both North and South America. In his travels, he traveled to what is now Florida and Texas. However, since the beginning of the forties of the last century, not a single jaguar was seen here in wildlife. In Central America, predatory cat populations were practically exterminated at the beginning of the 20th century.

By nature, jaguars are great travel lovers. They came from Mexico to the United States, but farmers and hunters so actively suppressed these visits that the number of wild cats here also declined rapidly.

The only place where the jaguar lives relatively comfortably in the wild is the pampas of South America. He also lives comfortably in the local forests. But it is not often possible to meet a predator outside the national park or nature reserves. Such an event is classified as a rare success.

Man still destroys forests and other jaguar hunting grounds. Despite this, predator populations are distributed from central Patagonia to the northern end of South America. On the outskirts of the range, the cat is found in shrubs and semi-deserts.

In Mexico and Central America, there is still a ruthless hunt for the jaguar. But in Brazil, in the swampy regions of the province of Mato Grosso, there is a large population of these animals. The largest jaguars in the world are also found here. In El Salvador and Uruguay, jaguars have been completely exterminated.

Interesting features of the exterior and behavior

The jaguar was destroyed for many years because of the luxurious fur coat. In nature, it is impossible to meet two individuals with the same color. The skin from dark red to bright yellow with dark blotches and fawn inclusions on the stomach caused the handsome men to be killed by the thousands. Neck, paws and head covered with dark specks. There are specimens with an excess of melanin, and then the color of the animal is almost black, but in bright light, the “rosettes” inherent only to it are visible.

An animal in the prime of life sometimes reaches a height of 2 meters. People have hunted them for centuries and presumably weighed them. There is information that the weight of individual animals varies from 110 to 180 kg.

The closest relative of the jaguar, the leopard, lives in the Old World. At the same time, the jaguar has a larger, lobed head, a strong, dense physique and powerful paws. On the skin of a "rosette" on a brown or dark yellow background, larger than that of a leopard.

Often the thickets of the tropics are awakened by the deafening roar of a cat that went hunting. In this case, she behaves similarly to relatives - a lion, leopard or tiger. The inhabitants of these places panic, as there is no escape from this predator anywhere - neither on a tree, nor in the water.

Jaguar hunting features

The jaguar is a loner, lives apart from other relatives, hunts in its own territory, like all cats. The area that the animal considers its own varies from 25 to 100 km2. It depends on the configuration of the landscape and the availability of food. Interestingly, the territory has the form of a triangle. For 2-3 days, the animal hunts in one of the areas of the area, and then moves to another. Periodically visits border points - every 10-13 days.

The predator is intolerant of other felines in its territory, but surprisingly tolerant of members of its own species. Often the ranges overlap. Jaguar hunting hours are twilight after sunset and at dawn.

Favorite objects:

• bakers;
• capybara;
• monkey;
• turtles.

Peccary is a type of wild boar. The capybara is the largest representative of the rodent family in the world weighing 50 kg. But the predator hunts for almost any game that is in its habitat.

There is no escape from the claws of the jaguar, even for the caiman - the South American crocodile. Jumping off a cliff onto a reptile, the jaguar breaks its neck and tears its thick hide with its fangs. It also hunts a turtle - it jumps on it, turns it over and pulls it out of its shell with sharp claws.

Often a cat gets out of the thickets and wanders along the sea coast in search of turtle eggs buried in the sand. Birds, snakes and rodents often get to the predator for lunch. There have been cases of jaguar attacks on the largest reptiles in the world - anacondas. In addition, the cat, like many of its relatives, imitates the voices of animals. Monkeys readily succumb to such a provocation.

The jaguar is an excellent swimmer, climbs trees very well, actively chases the victim in the water of rivers and lakes, and also climbs up the treetops after them.

The cat prefers to hunt in thickets. Having caught and killed the victim, she takes it to a secluded corner in order to dine without interference. In other parts of the world, felines prey on deer and other ungulates. In South America, such animals are not found, and the jaguar considers large and small cattle to be prey.

The predator prefers to attack from an ambush, hiding in the branches of trees or in thick grass. It hides in thickets of plants along the banks of reservoirs or near the path leading to a watering place. Jumps from the back or side, grabbing the victim by the neck. Attacking a cow or a buffalo, he tries to knock the victim down and knock him to the ground. Often because of this, the object of hunting is severely injured, breaking the vertebrae, and dies.

The jaguar differs from other cats in that it often bites through the victim's skull with powerful fangs. The predator runs fast, but also soon gets tired. Long chases are not his hunting style. Therefore, if the victim escaped, then the jaguar does not pursue it. When hunting, the cat emits a staccato guttural growl, and at night and during the mating season, it roars deafeningly. The predator eats prey from the head, gradually moving to the middle. Having caught a large specimen, the cat remains near the killed animal, eating in two doses with a break of 10-12 hours.

Lions, tigers and leopards sometimes become cannibals. There is no consensus among zoologists about the jaguar. However, the predator without hesitation rushes at the hunters, not making out who is in front of him - a dog or a person. The experience of centuries has taught the predator to avoid humans. But cases are noted when he broke into huts and grabbed domestic animals, children or old people as prey.

Of the cats of the Western Hemisphere, only the puma can be compared with the jaguar, but it is smaller, lighter and has a more compact head.

Jaguar breeding

Jaguar breeding occurs all year round. In the wild, too, there is no order. Ready for mating, the female goes in search of love adventures to other people's hunting grounds. Often the company consists of 3-4 "cavaliers". Fights between males do not happen, the choice is made by the female.

Having chosen a partner for herself, the lady goes to the territory of the gentleman and remains there for the duration of mating. After that, he leaves the house of the chosen one and goes home. Pregnancy lasts 100 days, plus or minus 2 days. From 1 to 4 kittens are born, already covered with a bright fur coat. Two kittens weighing 800 g appear more often. 2 weeks after birth, their eyes are cut through.

Babies feed on their mother's milk for a year, after which they take care of themselves. The parent lives nearby and occasionally feeds the family, although the female takes care and upbringing. The ability to reproduce in young animals appears by the age of three. Young leave the den after six weeks, and leave the mother only after determining their own hunting grounds.

Jaguar in ancient history

Before the discovery of America by the ancient civilizations of Peru and Mexico, the jaguar was elevated to the rank of god. Peruvian sculptors of that time created stone statues in the form of a half-man, half-jaguar and worshiped them. At the same time, 2.5 thousand kilometers from these places, in Mexico, stone statues of the jaguar god also appear. This fact is the enigmatic secret of archeology, since no connection between these civilizations distant from each other has been found.

These facts show how much the ancient peoples were interested in the jaguar and how great was the cult of the amazing cat, which became a symbol of the power of early human civilizations.

Unfortunately, jaguar populations in the wild have suffered greatly from poaching and the thoughtless destruction of predators. The species is listed in the Red Book and is protected by states. In some countries in Latin America, shooting is allowed, and in Bolivia they even sell hunting licenses for the purpose of obtaining trophies. In order not to admire the jaguars then only in the photo, humanity is obliged to make every effort to preserve these animals.

Jaguars- lat. Panthera onca, belong to the subfamily large kosh, are representatives of the class of mammals. The jaguar is an interesting member of the cat family. This is the largest predator of all cats.

Structure

Its characteristic distinguishing features are a muscular powerful body with short legs, a large head, a not very long tail (45-75 cm), short thick hair and, of course, a specific color - from sandy to bright red. The black spots on the skin of the jaguar have a variety of shapes - both solid, and rings, and rosettes, the belly and throat are white, like the inside of the paws. The jaguar is similar in color to a leopard, but in itself it is larger (body length is from 120 to 185 cm excluding the tail), the head is larger, the tail is shorter. Female jaguars are slightly smaller than males.

habitation

The habitat of jaguars is now significantly reduced. If earlier they could be found in Central and South America, now we are talking about South America, southern Mexico, Brazil, Argentina. They were practically exterminated in El Salvador and Uruguay. Unfortunately, it was because of their beautiful skin and skills as a good hunter that the population greatly decreased. Somewhere they were shot for the sake of another fur coat, and somewhere livestock were saved from them. Jaguars prefer to live in tropical rainforests, but they can sometimes be found in the mountains and on the coast, where they like to dig up turtle eggs.

The nature, lifestyle and nutrition of jaguars

The jaguar is a solitary predator by nature. You can only meet a pair of these animals during the mating period. The hunting grounds of these cats extend from 25 to 100 km, depending on the amount of game that lives. Jaguars are quite friendly to their relatives, so hunting zones may overlap somewhere. At the same time, jaguars do not like other representatives of the cat family. This predator prefers to hunt either before sunrise or after sunset. In the daytime, jaguars rest in some cool cave. The main technique in hunting is an ambush near the drinking trails of animals. They often set up an ambush in the trees, from where with one powerful jump they knock their victim down and cling to her neck. No wonder the name "jaguar" means a beast that kills with one jump. It is this fatal jump for the victim that is enough to fracture the cervical vertebrae. In hunting, the jaguar is helped by its short paws, thanks to which it climbs trees well, as well as the ability to swim, which leaves the victim no chance of salvation even in the water. The jaguar cannot boast of high speed, and therefore usually does not try to catch up with the runaway animal. This predator hunts ungulates such as deer mazam, loves tapirs and capybaras, but will not refuse monkeys, foxes, birds, and even (despite their strong shell). Sometimes jaguars are not averse to hunting livestock. The animal eats the caught prey in one or two approaches, it does not return to it anymore, since jaguars do not like to eat carrion.

reproduction

As such, the mating season in jaguars is not distinguished, it can be at any time. After mating, after about 100 days, the female brings 1-4 kittens weighing an average of 800 g. Small jaguars are under the protection of the female until the age of two, after which they gradually find their hunting territory and begin an independent life. These beautiful predators live on average for about twenty years. Despite the fact that jaguars breed well in captivity, their population today is very small and requires careful handling.

Class - mammals (mammalia)

Detachment - predatory (carnivora)

Family - cats (felidae)

Subfamily - big cats (pantherinae)

Genus - panthers (panthera)

View - jaguar (panthera onca)

Animal jaguar is a predator, carnivorous mammal. Representatives of the species are very graceful, and are the largest animals among the felines found in the Americas. And also the third in length and mass of the body on the planet. Jaguar running speed can reach 100 km/h. In total, there are nine varieties of these animals.

Description of the animal jaguar

The body length of the animal is from one and a half to 1.8 meters. Weight - 70-110 kg, body weight of especially large individuals reaches up to 158 kg. The jaguar has a long tail - from 1.5 m or more. The height of the animal at the withers is about 80 cm. Females are much smaller than males.

These are animals from the genus of panthers, they are larger than leopards, although they look similar in appearance. The main color is sandy-red, and the belly and paws are covered with white wool on the inside. All over the skin there are rounded spots of dark color of irregular shape and dots. Black ears have yellow spots in the center. But there are also completely black representatives. The animal black jaguar exists due to such a phenomenon as melanism. The coat of jaguars is short, with a thick undercoat.

The beast seems squat due to short legs, but they are powerful, so this length does not prevent him from being very dexterous. The head is massive, similar in shape to a tiger. Movable ears of small size have a rounded shape.

Range and habitat

Jaguars belong to the fauna of the central part and south of America. But due to the shooting of these animals for the sake of obtaining skins in El Salvador and Uruguay, they are practically destroyed as a population. In the southern United States, for the same reason, the number of these animals has been reduced by a third. In the photo of the jaguar animal, you can see how beautiful its fur is. The animal white jaguar has a particularly unusual color - a snow-white skin with black spots looks simply luxurious.

These predators live in humid tropical jungles, settle in wetlands, as well as in areas overgrown with xerophytes (drought-resistant vegetation). They can be found in the mountains, overgrown with forests, at an altitude of no more than 2000 m, and on the ocean.

Habits and lifestyle

The jaguar is a nocturnal animal, most often representatives of this species are loners. In one locality, several individuals can be found at once only if it is a female with her offspring. And grown up young individuals disperse in search of their own territories.

Being predators, jaguars protect their limits from encroachment - the area of ​​possession of one individual can be from several tens to 100 square meters. m. It depends on the sex of the animal, the landscape and the amount of food that can be obtained in this area. Animals are especially intolerant of their "relatives" in the cat family - puma and ocelot. But representatives of their own species can sometimes endure, and even show a semblance of friendliness.

In search of food, the jaguar often changes hunting areas, but after a few days it always returns to the originally chosen territory of residence.

How jaguars hunt

The hunt begins when the sun goes down and is at its height at night and before dawn. The animal cannot withstand a long run, but the speed of the animal jaguar is such that, having tracked down the victim, it instantly overtakes it.

Spotted coloring gives the animal the ability to blend in with the surrounding landscape and remain unnoticed as the prey approaches, then jump and bite it. Often, tall grass is an ambush place, and on the banks of reservoirs, a quick-witted predator lies in wait for animals that have come to drink.

When attacking, the predator pounces on the prey from the back or side and knocks it down with a huge weight. This method of attack results in instant death or such injuries that the victim is immediately immobilized. Even such a large animal as, for example, a cow, dies from a fracture of the spine.

The jaguar has very sharp teeth and powerful jaws - it can even bite through the victim's cranial bones.

An interesting fact is that this deadly cat immediately stops the pursuit if the potential prey noticed the danger emanating from it and rushed to its heels. Jaguars attack people infrequently, especially if the person himself does not provoke the beast. Basically, aggression towards a person is noted only when the beast is forced to defend itself. Recorded facts of chasing people just out of curiosity.

Despite the fact that jaguars are extremely dangerous, exotic lovers keep them in private estates and spacious country houses. You can buy an animal in a nursery, a zoological park or from private individuals engaged in breeding. Due to the fact that the jaguar animal is listed in the Red Book, the price of one copy can reach several tens of thousands of rubles.

Like every living creature on the planet, the jaguar has its own character. Keeping in captivity is possible only with the creation of suitable living conditions and proper feeding. The aviary must be equipped with a reliable metal door, it must open with the help of cables.

What and how the jaguar eats

The cat's diet is varied. In nature, about 90 species of various living creatures become their prey. The weight of an animal killed by a jaguar can reach up to 300 kg. Their favorite food is the meat and offal of ungulates, including domesticated cattle. But they also prey on:

• foxes,
• monkeys,
• porcupine,
• feathered,
• rodents,
• reptiles.

Occasionally they eat fish, and they themselves catch it. A delicacy for a predator is turtles, it bites through strong shells very easily, and also eats turtle eggs, finding them in the sand. Sometimes caimans become food - small crocodiles 1.5-2.0 meters long.

The jaguar begins to eat the victim from the head, and finally leaves the back. If the prey is very large, having eaten, the predatory cat leaves the carcass, and does not always return to finish eating. These animals do not feed on carrion, so in a day the predator will look for a new prey.

Lifespan

In the wild, jaguars live only 10-12 years, and in captivity they can live all 25 years.

natural enemies

The most dangerous for jaguars are people who hunt them because of their beautiful skins. And from the representatives of the fauna, practically no one threatens them, since in their habitat the jaguar is the highest link in the food chain.

Sometimes, defending its territory, a predator can get quite seriously injured from a large cougar. When harvesting caimans from water bodies, it can also suffer from alligator teeth. Sometimes jaguars become victims of water boas - anacondas.

View status

People have exterminated a significant part of the jaguar population by artificial means - these animals have long been the object of hunting. As a result, the territory of their habitat is reduced by two-thirds of the original. And even without exposing predatory cats to shooting, a person narrows the territory of their habitat, more and more living in the wild.

Today, the jaguar animal is on the verge of extinction, therefore it is listed in the International Red Book. Today, hunting these animals is almost universally prohibited, but poachers continue to destroy them because of their valuable skins. Only in Brazil, Bolivia and Mexico are these animals allowed to be hunted with strict restrictions.

Animal jaguar is one of the most beautiful and dangerous representatives of the world of predators. A beast that kills with one jump - this is how the word "jaguar" is translated from the language of the Indians of America. It was on the American continent that this predator was first discovered, the speed and agility of which amazed the colonialists of the New World. The ancient tribes of the Aztecs and Mayans worshiped a strong, hardy and fast beast. Ancient people wore fangs, claws or the skin of a jaguar in order to possess its unsurpassed qualities.

Animal jaguar is one of the most beautiful and dangerous representatives of the world of predators.

Appearance

Jaguar is an animal from the cat family. This large predator belongs to the genus Panther and is outwardly similar to a leopard, but exceeds it in size. The head of a jaguar is similar to a tiger's head with thick short fur and rounded black ears, in the middle of the outer surface of which there is a yellow spot. The body weight of the animal can reach 150 kg, and the height at the withers is usually 70-80 cm. Females are smaller than males, their weight rarely exceeds 100 kg. A distinctive feature of the structure of the skeleton of a predator is a long tail. The largest individuals are common in Brazil in the state of Mato Grosso, low animals are found in Guatemala and Honduras.

The color of the jaguar is sandy with bright red spots and dark brown edging. Spots can be solid, in the form of rings or rosettes. The head and paws are covered with black specks. The underparts of the body and the soles of the paws are white. There are the following types of jaguars:

• Central American;
• Mexican;
• Peruvian;
• Amazonian;
• Arizona;
• Paraguayan;
• Brazilian;
• Texan;
• Jaguar Goldman.

Some species are on the verge of extinction, so they need careful protection. In nature, there is also a completely black jaguar, which is mistaken for a panther. The black predator is not a type of jaguar, it is just a manifestation of melanism, which is found in many animals.

Habitat

Tropical rainforests of South and North America with pristine nature and rich wildlife are the most common places where the jaguar lives. Although it can be found in light forests, steppes, mountain forests, reed beds and even on the coast, where the beast digs up turtle eggs. The range of spotted predators begins with the jungles of Central America and extends to almost the entire territory of the South American continent.

In countries such as Uruguay and El Salvador, the wild cat jaguar is completely exterminated. The reason for the disappearance of the predator population is the reduction in the territories in which the beast lives. In addition, because of the beautiful fur, these animals have long been actively hunted. However, now all types of jaguars are listed in the Red Book.

Features of the jaguar (video)

The speed and agility of animals allows them to attack livestock with impunity, which also forces farmers to get rid of dangerous predators that live in the neighborhood.

Wild cats move on land, but they are very fond of water and tall trees., so they can often be seen on a thick branch or in a pond. Animals avoid only open plains. Jaguars do not live in packs, preferring a solitary existence. Males have a much larger territory than females, and often exceeds 100 km². The territory is usually triangular and sometimes overlaps with other jaguars. The beast is tolerant of its fellows, but it does not tolerate the presence of predators of other species on its territory. The jaguar is especially aggressive against other members of the cat family.

Mustang horse features

Gallery: jaguar (37 photos)

Lifestyle

The jaguar can stay awake both during the day and at night. As a rule, these animals spend their active time of the day on hunting and bypassing their territory. Animals lead a wandering lifestyle, passing several tens of kilometers a day. For several days the animal hunts in one part of the territory, and then moves to another place. In addition, every week he completely bypasses the boundaries of his site.

Jaguar is a predator, so he devotes a lot of time to hunting. This animal prefers to hunt from ambush, as it looks invisible in tall grass or bushes. Its main advantage is speed, so the animal does not approach the victim, but looks out for it from a remote shelter, which can even be located on a tree.

If the jaguar attacked the victim, then she could not be saved. The predator is so strong that with one jump it can not only knock down a large animal, but also break its spine. The fangs of the jaguar are sharp and powerful, capable of biting through the skull. However, the victim has a chance to survive if she notices the lurking predator in time and runs away. Despite their superior speed, jaguars rarely pursue fleeing prey, but will zealously jump into a pond if the prey tries to swim to safety. Predators are excellent swimmers, sometimes they even catch fish from water bodies. The main prey of wild cats are capybaras and other artiodactyls.

The predator does not disdain small rodents. The spotted beast does not harm a person, but often attacks livestock.

The nature of these wild cats is calm, so they do not attack other predators unless provoked. But an angry animal is able to cope even with a large and strong enemy. It is not uncommon for a jaguar to fight a caiman and emerge victorious. In the pursuit of this animal, too, has no equal. If he catches up with someone, he is able to reach speeds of up to 90 km / h.

The jaguar is one of the largest and most beautiful representatives of the Carnivora order. It belongs to the group of so-called "big cats", in size it is second only to a tiger and a lion, and outwardly it is very similar to a leopard. The similarity is so great that many people simply confuse these two types of animals.

Jaguar (Panthera onca).

However, if you look closely, you can see the characteristic details. The jaguar is on average larger and heavier than the leopard, its weight reaches 68-130 kg. Its body is more stocky, the paws are shorter and thicker, and the jaws are more massive and resemble the muzzle of a tiger. The skin of the jaguar is colored with black spots scattered over a yellow background, but unlike the leopard, these spots are not evenly distributed, but are grouped into peculiar rosette rings.

With leopards, these cats are united by another feature - among them there are often melanistic individuals with black hair (panthers).

The range of the jaguar is extensive and covers all of South and Central America, as well as the extreme south of the North American continent. The favorite habitats of these cats are dense rainforests. In addition, jaguars can be found in swamps, in dry thickets and pampas. These animals lead a solitary lifestyle. The area belonging to one individual is so large that most of the time the jaguar devotes to its bypass, not staying long in one place. These animals are unsociable and quiet, without special need they do not growl.

Listen growl of a jaguar.

They are excellent tree climbers and can even catch prey in the branches (for example, monkeys), but unlike leopards, victims caught on the ground are not dragged into the trees. This will be explained simply: the jaguar has no competitors capable of taking away the desired food.

This jaguar uses the tree as both a resting place and an observation deck.

In food, these predators are quite unpretentious, although they do not eat carrion. Usually they track down large prey (deer, peccaries, capybaras, tapirs), but on occasion they do not disdain small animals (birds, agoutis, monkeys, sloths, fish). Thanks to their strong jaws, jaguars can attack turtles and crocodiles, easily cracking open the shell and strong skin. They are not afraid of snakes, on the contrary, they are not averse to having lunch with a gaping boa constrictor or a young anaconda. Sometimes jaguars approach human habitation, where they prey on livestock and domestic dogs. They hunt down their prey from an ambush, hiding in bushes or grass. The predator's throw is lightning fast, the bite to the neck is strong (often the victim dies immediately). Nevertheless, these cats are not dangerous for humans; there are very few reliable cases of attacks on people throughout history.

The jaguar easily caught a caiman in the river.

These cats do not have a specific breeding season: the female can mate with the male at any time of the year. To search for a partner, animals emit a loud growl, and sometimes several applicants gather around the female at once. Despite the strength and power, jaguars rarely fight with each other, and the choice of a partner depends entirely on the beautiful "lady". Pregnancy lasts 100-110 days. There are up to 4 kittens in the litter, which spend up to 1.5 months in the den. Young animals roam with a parent up to 3 years. At this age, they perfectly comprehend the art of hunting and become sexually mature, after which they acquire their own plots. Jaguars live up to 20-25 years.

That rare case when a male and female jaguar did not share something.

In nature, these animals have few enemies. The danger in the face of crocodiles and anacondas threatens only young and inexperienced individuals. Jaguars have a dislike for cougars, the only cats that prey on similarly sized prey. Despite the apparent well-being, the total number of the species remains low, so the jaguar is listed in the International Red Book. In captivity, these cats are kept quite often; they successfully breed in zoos.