Jaguar
Near Threatened (Endangered by USFW)
Forest
North and South America
Crepuscular
Carnivorous
California Trail
Characteristics
Jaguars are the largest cats in the Americas and are the continents’ only representative of the genus Panthera, a.k.a. the roaring cats. Overall, jaguars are built for power over speed, with stockier bodies and muscular limbs that help navigate dense forest cover. Hidden behind prominent cheeks are their powerful jaws, which are large and square.
Their coat colors range from a pale yellow to a reddish brown, with black, rosette-shaped spots on the head, body, and limbs while their underbelly is off-white. Each rosette has a dot in the middle, which differentiates jaguars from leopards. Depending on their location, average body weight can vary from 150 to 300 pounds. The largest jaguars occur near open floodplains in Venezuela and Brazil, while the smallest are found in the dense forests of Central America.
Habitat & Ecology
This species is typically found near dense forest cover close to bodies of water. Jaguars are more strongly associated with water when compared to other Panthera cats, and this characteristic often leads them into conflict with agricultural expansions seeking water sources for irrigation. As long as a water source is nearby, jaguars can be found in rainforests, seasonally flooded swamps, grasslands, woodlands, and deciduous forests.
Jaguars have a large, but sometimes fragmented distribution and range from Mexico south toward Argentina. The largest connecting range of this species is concentrated in the Amazon Basin; however, their populations have been substantially reduced or eliminated in the United States and Mexico. Overall, jaguars have lost 54% of their historic range.
Diet
Jaguars are opportunistic hunters. Over 85 prey species, including mammals, reptiles, and birds, have been recorded in their diet across their geographic range. This highly variable diet is dependent on region, prey availability, ease of capture, and other additional factors It is estimated that 50% of their kills are large prey, such as peccaries, tapirs, and deer, which can feed a jaguar for up to 4 days. Smaller prey includes caimans, turtles, snakes, porcupines, capybaras, large birds, and fish.
Jaguars typically hunt their prey by pouncing from a hidden spot and delivering a direct bite to either their prey’s neck or skull. Their powerful jaws can even pierce through the thick skin of a caiman or the carapace of a turtle. When their hunt is successful, jaguars will drag their prey to a secluded spot where they can eat safely.
Behavior & Reproduction
Jaguars are primarily crepuscular, or active near dawn and dusk, but can be variable. They are dependent on water, especially during dry seasons when they seek relief from the heat. Jaguars are primarily solitary, with the exception of breeding season. The average territory of a female ranges from 16-24 square miles and up to double the size for males. An adult male’s home range often encompasses the territory of 2-3 females, and they will defend their territory from other adult males.
When in estrus, females will venture outside of their territory and vocalize in the mornings and evenings, advertising for a mate. Interested males will respond with their own series of vocalizations, traveling to her territory to mate. Jaguars may produce offspring year-round, but mating typically increases from December through March. Females give birth to 2 cubs on average (with a range of 1-4 cubs) and no longer tolerate the presence of males in her territory. Cubs are born with their eyes closed and are completely dependent on their mother. Around 2 weeks after birth, their eyes open and continue nursing until they are around 5-6 months old. They then start learning how to hunt with their mother, who will continue to protect them from predators, help them find food, and provide general guidance until they are almost 2 years old.
11-12 years wild, 20-22 under human care
December-March, or year-round
1-4 cubs
Every 2-3 years
Conservation
Jaguars are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN throughout their full range; however, they are considered endangered by US Fish and Wildlife. Many populations remain stable, but throughout most of their range jaguars are threatened by hunting, persecution, and habitat destruction. Jaguars are persecuted in areas of cattle ranching, where they are often shot on sight despite protective legislation.
Fascinating Facts
- Jaguars are the only North American cat that can roar. Both males and females roar, which helps bring them together when they want to mate. A jaguar's usual vocalization is called a 'saw' because it sounds like the sawing of wood.
- What have been called black panthers and misidentified as a new species are actually jaguars with melanism, the opposite of albinism. The cats appear black, with their spots only visible on close examination.
- The word 'jaguar' comes from the indigenous word 'yaguar', which means 'he who kills with one leap'.
- Jaguars have one of the most powerful bites in the animal kingdom! It is estimated that they can exude around 1,500 psi of pressure with their powerful jaw muscles and sizeable teeth.
About Our Animals
The Oakland Zoo has two resident jaguars, Lucha and Emma! Lucha has lived with us since the California Trail opened in 2018. He was just 7 years old when he moved to Oakland from the LA Zoo. For many years he was a lone bachelor until his partner, Emma, arrived in late 2022. Emma was born in 2017 and moved here for the purpose of being a potential breeding partner for Lucha. Luckily, they took to each very quickly and get along spectacularly. They can often be seen together on exhibit, when they are not spending plenty of time in their brand-new, spacious behind-the-scenes area. They can be hard to tell apart, but Lucha is slightly larger than Emma and has a blockier face and larger shoulders.
Our Role
Oakland Zoo supports ARCAS in Guatemala, which cares for wildlife caught in the illegal pet trade or other illegal activities. ARCAS cares for jaguars in need and works with local people to solve human-wildlife conflicts. Together, Oakland Zoo has been able to sponsor a large, updated enclosure for non-releasable jaguars at ARCAS. We also offer eco-trips to the ARCAS facility. These trips offer hands-on work and financial support for jaguars and other species.
The Oakland Zoo sponsors jaguar corridor work, including jaguar research and mitigation of human/wildlife conflict in Panama through our partner, Kaminando.
Learn more about what the Oakland Zoo is doing to support jaguars here.
