JAGUAR  
Panthera onca

The jaguar Panthera onca is, along with the lion, tiger and leopard, one of the four "big cats" in the Panthera genus of the Felidae family. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and on average the largest and most powerful feline in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Mexico, across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. On rare occasions, it has been seen in the southwestern corner of the United States.

Athough the jaguar, while a sturdier cat, most closely resembles the leopard physically, its habitat and behavior are much closer to those of the tiger. Both the jaguar and the tiger tend to stay around areas with water, and both are excellent swimmers.

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