Panthera onca
Jaguars are the largest cats of the American continent, living 15-20 years. They feed on small mammals, such as peccari and capybara, but will also attack larger ones, like cattle and deer. They can even eat reptiles, such as the crocodile. Its name comes from the South American Indian word "yaguara", meaning "a beast that kills its prey with one bound". Some jaguars are black, in which case they are often called "black panthers". It is an endangered species, having been hunt by people for its fur, and suffering habitat loss.
Picture taken in August, 2006.
Genus Panthera
Family Felidae
Superfamily Feloidea
Order Carnivora
Subclass Eutheria
Class Mammalia
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
Index