The largest cat of the Americas, the jaguar is a formidable beast. The Yanomami Indians call it the 'Eater of Souls', due to the belief that it consumes the spirits of the dead.

Subspecies
P.o. arizonensis; P.o. centralis; P.o. goldmani; P.o. hernadesi; P.o. onca; P.o. palustris; P.o. paraguensis; P.o. peruviana; P.o. varaecrusis.

Life span
Jaguars can live for 11-12 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.

Statistics
Body length: 100-180cm, Tail length: 40-70cm, Shoulder height: 55-76cm, Weight: In Central American rainforest males averaged 57kg and females averaged 42kg. In Brazilian Pantanals males averaged 100kg and females averaged 76kg. Females are typically 20 per cent smaller than males. Jaguars are the largest cats of the Americas.

Physical description
The jaguar can be distinguished from the leopard by irregular shapes within the larger rosette markings, a larger and stockier head and body, and a shorter tail.

Melanistic or black jaguars are known as panthers (this name also applies to black leopards). Jaguar coloration and size depends on habitat type. Darker individuals are found in the denser forests, where their dark coloration benefits camouflage. Larger jaguars are found in open plains, which may relate to larger prey items being found here.

Distribution
Jaguars range from south west USA, north Mexico, South America and Central America. Highest population densities are found on lowland rain forests of the Amazon Basin.

Habitat
Jaguars are typically forest dwellers, but also inhabit dry woodland and grassland. They prefer areas close to water.

Diet
They have a wide range of prey, including domestic livestock, deer, peccaries, tapirs, reptiles, fish and monkeys. Jaguars tend to hunt between dawn and dusk. They kill prey by piercing the skull with their canines.

Behaviour
Of all the big cats, the jaguar remains the least studied and most information about them has been gleaned from captive animals. Jaguars are solitary, meeting only to mate. Males travel further each day than females.

Like tigers, Jaguars are fond of water. Amerindians believe that they use their tails as fishing rods, the tip acting as a lure to tempt fish within the jaguar's grasp.

Reproduction
Females give birth to 1-4 cubs after a gestation period of 91-111 days. Births peak during the rainy season (which varies according to location) when prey is most abundant. The cubs stay with their mother for a couple of years before leaving to find their own territory.

Conservation status
Jaguars are not listed by the IUCN but are on CITES: Appendix I. They are persecuted as a threat to livestock. Deforestation and fragmentation of habitat isolate jaguar populations and make them vulnerable.