The jaguar is the largest cat found in the Americas. These cats are currently found from Mexico going South to Argentina. In North America, the historical range of the jaguar extended from Oregon to Pennsylvania. While the last California jaguar was killed in 1860, jaguars continued to survive in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas until the 20th century.

While other big cats normally kill large prey with a throat or a neck bite, the jaguar will also bite through the animal’s skull. A jaguar’s diet can consist of hoof stock, small mammals, fish, and reptiles; they have even been documented biting through the hard shells of river turtles and tortoises. 

Jaguars have no natural predators except for man. Due to habitat loss and human encroachment, jaguars are losing their natural prey items and are turning to ranchers’ livestock as a source of food. Cat Haven works with a variety of conservationists, including ICMBio and Dr. Ronaldo Morato in Brazil, which help to mitigate the human-animal conflict by tracking animals via radio collars.