Mapping and Protecting the Biggest Cat in the Americas

Posted by Andrew Howley of National Geographic Society in Explorers Journal

November 25, 2014

The purple regions in the map above show the known populations of jaguars. Explore an interactive version of the map which reveals the corridors between groups that allow these fragmented groups to function as one robust community. (Map by NGM Maps)

During the Ice Age, enormous saber-toothed cats took down huge prey across the New World. Today, while the long, lank mountain lion holds on in North America, the muscle-bound jaguar is the top of the food chain in the south.

Still, despite being able to sneak up on a caiman and take it down with a single bite (as seen in the video below), like other big cats around the world these legendary beasts face huge threats to their survival in the form of vast habitat loss and extensive hunting.

The map above shows just how little of their home continents jaguars continue to prowl. Explore the interactive version to discover the key corridors that connect these pockets and allow the flow of genes that keeps the overall jaguar population diverse, healthy, and fit for adaptation and survival.

Explore the World of Big Cats for Yourself

Now, as part of Big Cat Week on Nat Geo Wild you can join the conversation about conservation, and learn more about big cats from the experts who study them and work for their protection on December 3 at 1pm ET in a live video chat via Google+ Hangouts.

Hosting the event will be Luke Dollar, director of National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative and the scientist explaining the predator’s behavior in the “Jaguar vs. Caiman” video below, one of National Geographic’s most popular videos of all 2014.

Jag Stats

Weighing in from 100 to 250 lbs (45 to 113 kg) and stretching up to six feet (two meters) not counting the tail, jaguars are the third biggest of the big cats (tigers and lions being the top two).
While at first glance the spots on their coats may be confused with those of leopards or even cheetahs, the stocky body, slightly arched back, Schwarzenegger-like muscles, and rounded head make the living jaguar unmistakable on sight.

Honored (or feared), the jaguar has been a powerful presence in the thoughts and beliefs of native cultures for millennia. Now as hunting and development have whittled away its range and population, the once unassailable predator is largely at the mercy of humans who have at times viewed their gods in its image.

How to Participate in the Hangout

You can help us Cause an Uproar for big cats, and get answers to your burning questions about jaguars, other wild felines, and their world by taking part in our Google+ Hangout. Submit your questions by posting a question on Google+ or Twitter using #bigcats or commenting directly on this blog post.

Follow National Geographic on Google+ or return to this blog post (click source link below) to watch the Google+ Hangout Wednesday, December 3rd at 1 p.m. EST (6 p.m. UTC).

See more photos and read about jaguars in “Path of the Jaguars” from the March 2009 National Geographic Magazine. (Photo by Pete Oxford, Minden Pictures)

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