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Jaguars

By Abbie
This cat looks like a leopard,  but there's a big difference!

The jaguar is the only large cat in the new world. ( North, South and Central America.)  It looks like a leopard, but it's got a stronger build and its fur pattern is different.

The jaguar lives in South America and roams as far south as Patagonia .

Each jaguar "owns" its own territory.  This area can be 2 to 200 square miles large!  The number of miles depends on how much prey there is in the area.  If there is a lot of prey, the jaguar doesn't need as much space to hunt, and the territory is smaller.  If there is less prey in the area,  the jaguar needs more space to hunt, and the territory is smaller. 

 Jaguars live in either grasslands or rainforests.  The jaguars that live in rainforests love to swim,  and some have been known to kill crocodiles!  They also enjoy river turtles. 

 Jaguars love to eat plant-eating animals called tapirs, which live in the Amazon jungle.  Today, the tapir is in danger of extinction,  and the jaguars don't get a chance to eat them.

Unlike most other big cats, the jaguar almost never roar.  They often grunt while they hunt and growl when they are threatened. 

 Jaguars have a very powerful body. They have short,  cubby legs and a long tail that might actually be used as bait for fish!

The jaguar has a beautiful fur coat.  Some people seem to think that the fur will look better on them, so the cat is hunted for it, even though this is illegal.

 The jaguar is an awesome cat.  Hopefully it will be around for a long time.