1. Class : Mammalia

2. Order : Carnivora

3. Family : Felidae

4. Genus Species : Panthera onca

5. Size : The jaguar is the third largest cat in the world. The body length is between
4 to 6 ft. and its tall is about 30 inches

6. Weight : Jaguars weigh anywhere from 90 - 120kg (males) and 60 - 90kg (females)

7. Description : The jaguar is the only member of the genus Panthera (big cats) to be found in America where it is considered the New World equivalent of the leopard. Its back is marked with dark rosettes and the lower part of the tail is ringed with black.

8. Life Span : 15 - 20 years

9. Reproduction : Female jaguars sexually mature at about 2 years of age; males at 3 to 4 years. Mating in the wild or in captivity may occur at any time; the female is receptive for about 6 - 17 days. Female jaguars usually give birth to 1 - 4 cubs, averaging two young per litter. She gives birth in a den surrounded by a dense thorn thicket, or under tree roots.

10. Gestation : 95 - 105 days

11. Habitat : Jaguars are found in tropical rainforests, scrub and wet grasslands. In general, they occur in a wide variety of tropical habitats, ranging from montane forests and wet savannah to tropical rainforests and deciduous tropical forests. They are especially common near rivers, streams and lagoons and have been known to use roads and trails for travel and hunting.

12. Diet : Jaguars feed on small prey such as the capyabara and the peccarie but will also eat larger animals such as the cattle. They will also eat reptiles such as the crocodile and small rodents. It has a very powerful jaw and usually kills its prey with one bite.

13. Predators : Because of its power, jaguars have no real predators other than man. It also has no rivals for food and territory.

14. Endangered Status : Endangered

15. Special Features : Unlike most big cats, jaguars don't kill by biting in the neck. They bite through the temporal bones of the skull and kill quickly. Besides that, the jaguar is a good swimmer as well. They can also communicate with various vocal sounds and use scent to mark their territory.

16. Social Organization : Jaguars are predominantly solitary. Unlike other solitary cat species; however, home ranges may occasionally overlap. It is suggested that in areas of high prey density, jaguars can share limited ranges.

17. Conservation Status : Despite the historical lack of precise population estimates, jaguar are known to be rare or extinct in many parts of their former range. Estimates indicate that the total current wild population is greater than 10000; however, several subspecies are reported as rare.

18. Behaviors : Jaguars are nocturnal hunters, and do most of their stalking on the ground. They are also excellent climbers, leaping from tree to ambush their prey. The jaguar is also a patient hunter of fish. It waits by the water's edge, occasionally hitting the surface of the water with its tail, which inadvertently attracts fish. As the fish approach the shore, the jaguar swats at them, spearing the fish with its sharp claws.

19. Population Areas : The jaguar is rarely distributed throughout most of Mexico, Central and South Africa, while lone individuals are rarely seen in the southwestern United States.