Hyderabad: International Jaguar Day, celebrated on November 29, aims to highlight the growing dangers to jaguars and the urgent need for their protection. These big cats, known as the largest in the Americas and key to preserving biodiversity and cultural heritage in Central and South America, are also crucial to the Amazon Rainforest and the third largest cat predator globally.
The day brings together countries where jaguars live, along with partners, to emphasise the importance of protecting their habitats and corridors to meet the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Jaguars are often confused with leopards because of their rosette-patterned coats, but they are excellent swimmers, even crossing the Panama Canal.
About Jaguar:
Jaguars stand as the largest among the big cats in South America and rank third globally in terms of size. Their coat typically ranges from tan to orange with black markings known as "rosettes," resembling roses due to their shape. Occasionally, some jaguars are so dark they appear almost spotless.
Unlike a lot of other cat species, jaguars actively seek out water, making them excellent swimmers. They find food sources such as fish, turtles, and caimans—small, crocodilian creatures—in rivers. Additionally, jaguars consume larger animals like deer, peccaries, capybaras, and tapirs. Occasionally, they climb trees to plan an ambush, employing a single, powerful strike to secure their catch.
For their big size, power, and hunting capabilities, jaguars are recognised as one of the "big cats." Tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and cougars also belong to this category. Jaguars, found from Mexico to Argentina in 18 countries, live mostly in Brazil, which has the most wild jaguars. They can live in forests, savannahs, and shrublands. Jaguars are good at swimming and climbing and need clean water and a lot of space to survive.
- Common Name: Jaguars
- Scientific Name: Panthera onca
- Type: Mammals
- Diet: Carnivore
- Average life span in the wild: 12 to 15 years
- Size: Head and body, five to six feet; tail, 27.5 to 36 inches
- Weight: 100 to 250 pounds
Suitable Weather For Jaguar:
Jaguars like warm, humid places with water nearby. They can live in many types of habitats such as rainforests, savannahs, wetlands, grasslands, scrublands, and deserts, where their fur helps them blend in.
History Behind The Day:
In 2020, the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) started a plan to help jaguars grow in number and protect their homes by 2030. At the United Nations in New York in March 2018, leaders from 14 countries with jaguar habitats came together for the Jaguar 2030 Forum. This meeting led to the Jaguar 2030 Statement, which detailed many joint efforts to save jaguars, including the idea for an International Jaguar Day. Several countries, like Brazil, have their own Jaguar Day celebrations, with Brazil choosing the jaguar as its symbol for biodiversity.
Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, co-founder and former CEO and Chief Scientist for Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organisation is known as the “Jaguar Man” and the “Indiana Jones of Wildlife Protection”. Alan has spent his life studying and protecting jaguars and other big cats.
Interesting Facts About Jaguar:
- The word 'jaguar' comes from the indigenous word 'yaguar', which means 'he who kills with one leap'.
- Jaguars are the third largest cats in the world.
- Jaguars live In Mexico, Central America, and South America.
- Brazil has the largest jaguar population, with approximately 50% in the world.
- Jaguars were revered by Mesoamerican civilizations.
- Geographic Distribution Affects Jaguar Size.
- Jaguar Spots Are Shaped Uniquely like a fingerprint.
- Jaguars Are Alone Unless Breeding Or Parenting.
- Jaguars Have Six Times Better Night Vision Than Humans.
- Jaguars Can Reach 80mph.
- Male Territories Are Twice the Size of Female Territories.
- Jaguars Hunt During Both Day and Night.
- They’ve Already Lost Half of Their Historic Range.
Threats to Jaguars:
The jaguar is the biggest wild cat in the Western Hemisphere, known for its toughness and wide range. Sadly, they've lost approximately 50% of their original habitat and now live in 18 countries in Mexico, Central America, and South America. The IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) is checking on their situation, and if poaching and habitat loss keep up, they might be moved to a "Vulnerable" category soon.
Jaguars are still in danger despite efforts to protect them. The main threat is hunting for their body parts, like skin and bones, which are used in Chinese medicine. Even though it's illegal to trade jaguar parts, people still hunt them for trophies and food. Also, cutting down forests and human activities moving into their areas are big problems.
