| The jaguar is the largest and most
powerful of the American members of the cat family. The jaguar is
found from the southern part of the United States to northern Argentina.
A jaguar can grow about 112 to 185 cm long. The tail is 45 to 75
cm in length. It stands about 60 cm high at the shoulder.
The jaguar is yellow to rusty
red and has black spots. The head and the body are large and the
legs are short and thick. It is an excellent climber and swimmer.
The jaguar eats many kinds of animals. The jaguar hardly ever attacks humans.
The female has one to four cubs. The cubs will stay with the mother
until age two.
They have lived up to 22 years in captivity.
In Peru and Central America, it was worshipped as a god. Today the
jaguar is hunted because ranches claim that it attacks cattle.
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