1. Habitat
The environment where jaguars live, is hot, humid year-round, and very wet with high rainfall and water sources such as the Amazon River. The temperature is consistent in Amazon rainforest, the trees form dense canopy layers, home to many diverse species of animals. But jaguars are not unique to the region.
2. Diet
Jaguars are carnivores, their diet is highly adaptable, meaning they consume the flesh of many animals such as deer, capybaras, and even armoured caimans. Jaguars sneak up from behind, ambush the prey by using specialised teeth to crush the back of the skull of the prey.
Jaguars eat animal flesh because their stomach acid is not strong enough to break down bones. Their teeth are made to tear flesh instead of plants.
Jaguars are opportunistic hunters and will eat almost anything they can catch, which is essential for survival in a diverse but competitive ecosystem like the Amazon.
3. Adaptation
There are many threats jaguars facing. For example, deforestation, and loss of prey - poaching themselves and their prey, and farmers tend to hire hunters to remove jaguars because jaguars do eat their cattle.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) runs a Jaguar Conservation Strategy to protect jaguars. Anyone can donate to it if they wish to.
4. Fun Facts:
- Differentiated from leopards. Leopards have spots on their fur, while jaguars have rosettes.
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Strongest biteforce of all cats.
