Panthera onca (jaguar)
Specimen Images |
| Diet | Strict carnivore, large and small animals |
| Habitat | Rare in southwest (US, AZ, NM, TX), no breeding populations. Prefer dense, moist, tropical lowland forests. Excellent swimmers, often near water. |
| Description | Largest cat in the Americas. Built for power over speed. Large head, black spots. |
| Skull Characteristics | Similar to cougar in shape, but with distinctive notch in palate on posterior edge; incisive foramina slightly larger and wider. |
| Notes | Links to more species information:
Smithsonian Animal Diversity Web |