Temporal range: Early to Middle Pleistocene – Recent The jaguar
(pron.: // or UK //; Panthera onca) is a big cat, a feline in
the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in
the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the
tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere.
The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States
and Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay
and northern Argentina. Apart from a known and possibly breeding
population in Arizona (southeast of Tucson), the cat has largely
been extirpated from the United States since the early 20th
century. This spotted cat most closely resembles the leopard
physically, although it is usually larger and of sturdier build
and its behavioural and habitat characteristics are closer to
those of the tiger. While dense rainforest is its preferred
habitat, the jaguar will range across a variety of forested and
open terrains. It is strongly associated with the presence of
water and is notable