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Barûle Foundation
Fundación Barûle
African Diaspora
Diáspora Africana
"Freedom...
by any means necessary"
"Libertad...
a como de lugar"
Malcolm X
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Sitio patrocinado por:
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Jaguar
| Common Name |
Jaguar, Panthena Onca |
| Kingdom |
Animalia |
| Phylum |
Chordata (Vertebrata)
|
| Class |
Mammalia |
| Order |
Carnivora
|
| Family |
Felidae |
| Genus |
Pantherinae Panthera
|
| Species |
Onca |
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The Jaguar is one of the National emblems, but the Jaguar and the Leopard
are often confused with one another in zoos. Their coloring and markings
are so similar that it is difficult for people to distinguish them. The
difference lies in the center of the Jaguars rosettes, because unlike the
leopard, the Jaguar has spots inside of its rosettes! The Jag is also a
much stockier animal than its cousin, with shorter legs and tail – giving
it more of a pit bull type appearance. |
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Jaguar Coat Pattern |
Leopard Coat Pattern |
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Size and
Appearance: Jags are the largest
felines in the Americas. Adult males can reach an overall length of more than 7
feet, and can weigh anywhere from 250 to 400 pounds. As mentioned above, its
coat color and markings are very similar to the leopard, with a rich tawny or
yellow background with large black rosettes and spots. It has a larger head,
more compact body, and much more powerful paws! The Jaguar also occurs with an
all black (melanistic) coat, and like the leopard, the spots can still be seen
on black individuals. Albino individuals have been reported as well.
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Distribution:
Once found here in the United States (California, New Mexico, Arizona,
Texas, Florida), this cat was hunted to extinction here in the late 1940s.
Today, it is found in Mexico, but swiftly declining and Central America,
and the strongest populations being found in the Mato Grosso, Brazil; The
Pantanal, bordering Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia and
Paraguay; Chiapas State, Mexico; and the Yucatan Peninsula/northern
Guatemala/Belize. |
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