Reid
Park Zoo
1030 South Randolph Way
Tucson, Arizona 85716
phone: 520.881.4753
Fun
Facts - Jaguars
The
name "jaguar" comes from a native Indian word
meaning "the killer that takes its prey in a single
bound."
Jaguars
are the largest cats in the Western Hemisphere, and
the third largest overall. Only lions and tigers are
bigger.
Jaguars are completely at home in the water, and are
seldom far from a river or lake.
A jaguar may go "fishing" by waving its tail
over the water to attract hungry fish.
Jaguars
are accomplished, versatile hunters. They will catch
and eat almost anything, including monkeys, capybaras,
deer, peccaries, birds, turtles, snakes and iguanas.
Jaguars may also eat plants and fruit such as avocado.
While
the jaguar once populated the southern United States,
Central America, and South America, its presence throughout
this range has been extremely diminished. It is rare
to nonexistent within the USA, Mexico, most of Central
America, eastern Brazil, Uruguay, and much of Argentina.
The jaguar's numbers have fallen primarily as a result
of commercial fur hunting, habitat loss, and removal
actions attempting to diminish their threat to livestock
and humans.
Jaguars
are solitary except during mating.
Jaguars
are rarely seen in the wild due to their shy nature
and their well-camouflaged coats.
Most
jaguars are yellowish to tawny in color, spotted with
large black rosettes or rings. Black and nearly all
white (albino) jaguars are occasionally born.