Jaguar facts


Check out our 10 facts on these brilliant big cats!

  1. Jaguars are the largest of South America’s big cats and the third largest cats in the world.
  2. At one time jaguars roamed all the way to the US-Mexico border, but jaguars are now only occasionally sighted in Texas and Arizona. Most jaguars are found in the Amazon river basin.
  3. The name jaguar comes from the Native American word yaguar, which means "he who kills with one leap."
  4. Their fur is usually tan or orange with black spots, called "rosettes" because they are shaped like roses.
  5. Jaguars live alone and mark their territory with their waste or by clawing trees.
  6. The jaguar’s scientific name is Panthera onca.
  7. Jaguars are mammals. They are carnivores and eat a diet rich in meat and fish.
  8. They can live to be 12 to 15 years old in the wild.
  9. Adult jaguars weigh between 45 to 113 kilograms.
  10. From the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, a jaguar can be 240cm long.
Find out more about jaguars in the latest issue of NG Kids!