Jaguars can be found in a variety of habitats, ranging from temperate or subtropical forest to grassland, scrub woodland and savanna. An adult male Jaguar can be up to 2.6m long (including tail), and weigh as much as 130kg. The average lifespan is between 10 and 15 years.
They are powerfully built, with short, thick legs and have a bigger head, broader face and thicker, shorter tail than leopards. Their fur can range from pale yellow to dark brown, with black spots on the head, neck, limbs and the underside of their body. They also have ‘rosette’ markings containing dots on their shoulders and back, extending to their tail, with the markings unique to each animal.
Jaguars have superb night vision – up to seven times better than that of humans, and their hearing is some five times more acute than a human’s. Their sense of smell is poor, however, with even rotten meat often going undetected.
They are usually solitary animals, with a territory area covering between 10 and 168 sq km. The female attracts a mate by scent and by making hooting calls, and they will spend several days together. The average litter size is two cubs, and the cubs are weaned at about five months, joining their mother on hunting excursions at six months. Jaguars hunt – anything from insects to cattle - mainly at dawn and dusk, stalking and then ambushing their pray. They will also fish along riverbanks.