10 Roaring Facts About Jaguars - 3rd @ Atien30

The word “jaguar” comes from the Tupi-Guarani word ‘yaguara’ which means ‘wild beast that overcomes its prey at a bound’. This scientific name of the jaguar is Panthera onca.

Jaguars rely on their camouflage fur to stalk and ambush hunt their prey. In addition to being king of the rainforest, they are also its ninjas.

The female offspring may inherit their mother’s established territory when they come of age. A male’s territory can overlap with those of females.

Although described as nocturnal, jaguar is more specifically crepuscular (peak activity around dawn and dusk).

The jaguar’s bite is incredibly powerful. It can even crack open the shells of the big turtles and crocodilians that are found in the Amazon rainforest. It can easily crack through any kind of bone or bony substance.

Jaguars not only do not hate water, they actually enjoy it. Jaguars are often seen playing in water. Swimming like this is quite rare among cats, especially house-cats, as some may know, but jaguars do it with ease and grace.

Jaguars have a highly diverse diet. They prey on more than 85 known species. They prefer mammals, but will eat reptiles and fish if necessary.

Jaguars are believed to maintain the natural balance in the jungle ecosystem. Scientists call them a keystone species.

Jaguars have an unusual way of killing prey for large cats. They bite their prey directly through the back of the skull with their powerful jaws. This inflicts a fatal injury on the brain. Most other big cats go for the throat and strangulate their prey.

Of all big cats, the jaguar is least likely to kill and eat humans unless wounded or cornered.