This page contains information about jaguars and a list of facts about Jaguars for children. This article is part of our Rainforest Animals series.

The size, strength and hunting ability of the jaguar make it a supreme predator in the tropical forests of South and Central America. Read on to find out more about this deadly rainforest cat…

Jaguars and the cat family

The Jaguar is a large, vigorously built cat. Its coat is pale orange and marked with rings called “rosettes”. Inside each Rosette there are one or more small black spots.

Jaguars are members of the Felidae feline family – the same family that includes your domestic cat! The members of this family are known as felids.

Jaguars belong to a subfamily of Felidae called Pantherinae. Other members of this subfamily include lions, tigers, leopards and snow leopards.

Jaguars are the third largest cat species: only tigers and lions are larger. The Jaguar is the largest cat native to America.

The Jaguar belongs to a group of cats known as “big cats”. You can find out more about big cats on this page: What is a big cat?

Information About Jaguar

Jaguars are solitary animals that each live in their own territory called “territory”. Jaguars protect their territories from other Jaguars.

Female jaguars give birth to 1-4 kittens at a time, and the young live with their mother for 2 years or more before leaving on their own.

Jaguars are vigorously built and are excellent climbers and swimmers.

Jaguar versus leopard… against Panther?

Jaguars and leopards are very similar. Both are large spotted cats. However, jaguars are larger and heavier. The rosettes of jaguars are larger, less spaced and have a central point that leopards do not have.

Jaguars live in America, and leopards in Africa and Asia.

Some jaguars (and leopards) have such dense markings that the animals look completely black. These animals are known as panthers, but they are actually just jaguars or leopards and not a separate species.

Where do jaguars live?

Jaguars are found in North, Central and South America. Jaguars are even sometimes seen in Arizona in the United States!

However, jaguars are mainly forest dwellers and prefer the dense tropical forests of South America. They are also found in wetlands and grasslands.

Jaguars are most numerous in the Amazon Basin (the area around the Amazon) and the Pantanal — a large wetland in Brazil and parts of Bolivia and Paraguay.

Jaguars often live near water. Unlike other cats, jaguars are excellent swimmers and can swim through rivers. They will also approach ambushed prey from the water.

How big are the jaguars?

The body length of a jaguar is between 4 and 6 feet, and their tails add another 20 to 30″. The jaguar’s tail is the shortest of all the big cats.

Jaguars weigh between 100 and 250 (45 to 113 kg). Males are larger than females and weigh up to 348 (158 kg).

Jaguars measure from 63 to 76 cm (25 to 30 inches).

What does a Jaguar eat?

Jaguars are carnivores (carnivores). Their diet includes many types of animals, including fish, birds, Caimans, deer, monkeys, Capybaras and tapirs. Jaguars are also known to eat turtles, and their jaws are strong enough to break the shells of turtles. Jaguars usually prefer larger prey.