J is for Jaguar
Photo of Jaguar by Jannick Turbe on Flikr.
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Jaguars are the largest cat in South America, and are now mainly confined to the Amazon basin. Formerly they used to roam as far north as the US/Mexico border.
They have the most beautiful coats – golden light marked with black rosettes.
Unlike most other cats they are good swimmers and often frequent river banks to ambush prey going to drink, and using stealth they also tackle creatures like crocodiles and caymen. They drop from trees and stalk prey through the forest – but in each case they kill by pouncing from behind, crushing neck vertebrae and skulls with one powerful bite.
Female jaguars usually have two babies, but can have up to four – she defends them fiercely, even from the male, as male jaguars are prone to infanticide.
Jaguars are falling prey to fragmentation of their habitat and are still hunted for their exquisite pelt.
They are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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Photo © Jannick Turbe.
Poem © Liz Brownlee
Information from Wiki.
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- Posted in: A-Z Challenge 2014
- Tagged: animals, baby animals, big cat, Jaguar, nature, North America, poems, poetry, science, South America, wild animal, wildlife
lizbrownlee - poet 
Yes lovely and a very cool picture x
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Ha, thank you, have edited, just, went downhill suddenly this evening and had to revive before seeing to post!
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Poor you hope you’re all better xxxx
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Love the coat, I am sitting under a furry jaguar print blanket right now (faux fur, of course)
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Gorgeous aren’t they! All cats have such a wonderful walk.
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Your poems are wonderful!! Thank you for stopping by my blog… visiting via the a to z challenge… 🙂
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Thank you, Linda!
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I LOVE that line: “her flesh is, light and slides,her bones…”
Also – I grew in Guyana – which is on the edge of the amazon. I’ve seen these cats in the wild and it is chilling to know that you are absolutely not, the top of the food chain.
Sad to know that they are disappearing – they’re a protected species in my home, but that doesn’t stop them being hunted.
Lovely post! Took me on a trip back in time. Thank you.
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Wow, I envy you those memories! The wildlife I saw as a child were slow worms and birds!
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