(Go Go Sadie) Joel the Jaguar (Panthera onca)

(Go Go Sadie) Joel the Jaguar (Panthera onca)

The scientific name for jaguar, Panthera onca, means "hunter" and "hook" or "barb." This refers to their stealth and their formidable claws.

The South American native word for jaguar, yaguara, means "animal that kills in a single bound."

Jaguars are considered one of the fastest animals on Earth!

Jaguars weigh 200-250 pounds with a body length of 5-7 feet.

Besides Guatemala and Belize, Costa Rica has one of the highest Jaguar populations in the world.

The Jaguar is the 3rd largest feline after the tiger and lion.

The jaguar is the only big cat that does not roar.

Jaguars can live up to 25 years in captivity. In the wild the jaguar’s average lifespan is between 12-15 years

Jaguars mainly live in dense forests, but, have been found in different types of forests and even in open land. No matter where they live, it’s mandatory that the place has water because Jaguars, like other felines, love swimming; Jaguars are excellent swimmers.

Like other cats, jaguars have eyes that are adapted for night hunting. One key element is their eyeshine, caused by a mirror-like structure called the tapetum lucidum. The tapetum lucidum in the back of their eye reflects light into the retina, nearly doubling their ability to see. If you have a pet cat or dog, you can see this eyeshine at night. Jaguars see less detail and color in daylight but have better vision at night in low light.

A jaguar may go "fishing" by waving its tail over the water to attract hungry fish; The jaguar is an expert at catching fish.

Jaguars hunting methods are adventurous and thrilling. They stalk predators! Meaning that they will stalk there food first, ambush with integrity and then will look for the opportunity to attack with fierce speed.

Jaguars are known to eat over 85 different animal species, including tapirs, porcupines, birds, fish, lizards, turtles, armadillos, and monkeys. They’ve also been seen to eat an occasional avocado.

Jaguars have developed an exceptionally powerful bite with their strong teeth that can even pierce the shell of armored reptiles! They use their powerful jaws to open the shells plus, they bite the scull of their prey delivering a fatal blow to their brain. Jaguars kill with either a bite to the neck or a crushing paw strike.

Jaguars are nocturnal predators and are pretty much loners. They are solitary animals that usually only come together to breed.

Jaguars can mate at any time of the year. Females give birth to a litter of 2 to 4 cubs after a gestation period of 100 days. Mothers feed their cubs until they are about a year old. Cubs will remain with their mother until the age of 2 years. Females reach sexual maturity between 2 to 3 years and males reach sexual maturity between 3 to 4 years.