Strong, hardy, intelligent and graceful jaguars are one of the largest cats on Earth. In nature, they occupy the top of the food chain, belonging to the highest predators, and very few people are able to escape from his claws and teeth if the jaguar decides to dine with them. However, they rarely attack people, but it is better not to meet a jaguar on a narrow path. Although this is almost impossible due to their stealth, these animals can disguise themselves incredibly well.
Interesting facts about jaguars
- The largest jaguar weighed 158 kg, while he was not fat. But in general, the weight of these animals usually does not exceed 90-110 kg.
- Ignorant people often confuse jaguars with leopards. They are indeed very similar in appearance, but the leopard is much smaller (interesting facts about leopards).
- Of all the big cats that live in the Americas, jaguars are the largest. Tigers and lions, it is true, surpass them in size, but they are found only in Africa and Eurasia.
- Jaguars are great swimmers. In search of prey, they sometimes even cross many kilometers of straits.
- Thanks to its ability to swim, this predator is able to overcome its prey even in water.
- The zone controlled by the jaguar is in shape an almost regular triangle with side length of 5-10 kilometers. Two or three times a week, the animal goes to a new place, when all the potential prey in the old one has either been eaten or scared away.
- In the Guarani language spoken in Paraguay, the word «jaguar» means «the beast that kills with one leap» (interesting facts about Paraguay).
- Smart and savvy jaguars often swim across wide bodies of water, clinging to some floating log.
- They always lead a solitary lifestyle, meeting briefly only for breeding.
- When two jaguars meet on the same hunting grounds, they almost never fight. But other big cats are driven away mercilessly.
- In some Latin American countries, like Uruguay, these animals have been completely exterminated. Local farmers had a hand in this, as jaguars often attacked their herds.
- Only females are engaged in raising kittens. Males, after a series of short meetings, leave forever.
- Jaguars climb trees no worse than ordinary cats, despite their solid mass.
- The jaws of the jaguar are larger and more powerful than those of any other feline, including tigers and lions (interesting facts about tigers).
- Like tigers, the pattern on the skin of each jaguar is unique and individual.
- About 50% of jaguar kittens die in childhood, before reaching the age of one and a half to two years.
- These predators do not attack people, with very rare exceptions.
- Jaguars can imitate the voices of other animals, in particular monkeys, in order to lure their relatives.
- The Maya Indians called the best warriors warriors- jaguars, and only they were allowed to wear a special cape made from the skin of this beast.
- Most often, speaking of panthers, they mean a black jaguar. This is exactly the same animal, just differently colored due to a slight genetic difference.
- Like tigers, jaguars hunt by sneaking up or ambushing their prey.
- Palaeontologists have discovered ancient fossil bones of the jaguar , which are about 2 million years old.
- The Indians of a number of tribes in South America revered jaguars as sacred animals.
- As practice has shown, jaguars and lions can have viable offspring. True, it is sterile, not capable of further reproduction (interesting facts about lions).
- There have been recorded cases of jaguars hunting even such dangerous opponents as crocodiles and anacondas.
- Usually, a jaguar attacks any prey that can be overcome. He does not shun small things, on occasion eating small rodents and other not too large animals.
- During the daytime, these predators usually sleep in shelters, and go hunting at dusk.
- Distribution civilization has led to a reduction in the habitat of jaguars. Currently, they are listed in the International Red Book.
- There have often been cases when jaguars pursued people in the forest, keeping close, but not attacking. Scientists believe that the beast is simply curious. This seems to be true – if he wanted to, unarmed people would easily become his victims. However, in the wild, jaguars almost never attack people when they meet people, unless they are provoked.
- The body length of an adult jaguar can reach 170-170 centimeters, and this does not include the tail.