JAGUAR

 

This beautiful animal is called the jaguar. It is a shame that this a rare species of feline is now so rare due to being hunted for its attractive fur.

They are solitary animals, except during the breeding season when  a male and female will stay together for a short time in order to mate. The young jaguars will stay with their mother for the first few years of their life before leaving the family to find hunting territories of their own.

Although jaguars are good climbers they hunt mainly on the ground, and at night. They will, however, climb trees to lie in wait for prey. the jaguar can cover short distances rapidly, but it tires quickly and its successful kills rely both on surprise and getting close enough to unsuspecting prey.

Its main food consists of forest animals varying in size from mice to deer, but it is also a good swimmer and will catch frogs, fish, turtles and small alligators.

The jaguar is especially skilled at catching fish, which it does by lying motionless on a rock or overhanging branch and then flipping the fish out onto the bank.

Conservation
All subspecies of jaguar are endangered, and many are practically extinct outside of zoos where they have been successfully bred. Loss of habitat to farm land and over hunting for fur and to protect domestic livestock present the greatest threats.