remain unmolested. In the Cockscomb area of central
Belize a reserve, the first of its kind, has been created
specifically to preserve Jaguars.
Jaguars resemble Leopards in spotting pattern but
are generally heavier. Size varies considerably among
individuals, but some individuals reach 160 kg (about
350 lb). An adult Jaguar has no nonhuman predators,
with perhaps the rare exception of the anaconda, the
serpentine giant of the Amazon (chapter 12).
Jaguars are ecological generalists. These cats are
found in lowland rain forests, montane forests,
savannas, wetlands, coastal mangroves, and along
rivers. They feed on many kinds of animals, including
deer, tapirs, peccaries, sloths, capybaras, Giant Otters,Plate 16- 52. Jaguar resting on a riverbank in the Brazilian Pantanal. Photo by John Kricher.
Plate 16- 53. This male Jaguar was photographed just as it was
about to pounce on a caiman. It killed the caiman and carried
it away. Photo by John Kricher.
Plate 16- 54. Jaguar attacking a caiman. Photo by Nancy
Norman.342 chapter 16 from monkeys to tarantulas: endless eccentricities