What is the largest cat species in the Americas?

The jaguar is the largest cat species in the Americas. Scientifically known as Panthera onca, it ranges from parts of Mexico and Central America through much of South America, with especially important populations in Brazil’s Amazon and Pantanal regions.

Jaguars are powerfully built cats with broad heads, muscular jaws, and distinctive rosette patterns. Some rosettes contain central spots, which helps distinguish a jaguar from a leopard. Melanistic, or black, jaguars also occur; their patterns are still visible in certain light.

The jaguar is generally ranked as the third-largest living cat worldwide, behind the tiger and lion. Its exceptional bite allows it to pierce turtle shells and kill prey by biting through the skull, an unusual technique among big cats. It is also a strong swimmer and often hunts near rivers and wetlands.

The cougar is a frequent mix-up because it is widespread across the Americas, but cougars are usually lighter and belong to a different genus, Puma. Margays and ocelots are much smaller forest cats. Jaguars face threats from habitat loss, prey depletion, and conflict with people, and have been listed as Near Threatened since 2002.