What Do Jaguars Eat
The jaguar is the 3rd largest wild cat behind the tiger and lion. They can be found in the southern United States, Mexico and throughout much of South America. They are a very important part of the environment because they are at the top of the food chain. This means that they keep other animal populations in check. Let’s take a look at the normal diet of the jaguar.
What do jaguars eat?
Jaguars are carnivores (meat eaters) and will eat almost any animal that they can catch. They are opportunistic hunters that prey on over 80 different animal species. Jaguars use a stalk- and-ambush approach to catch their prey and kill it either by biting the throat to suffocate it or by biting through the skull to pierce the brain.
Jaguars prefer larger prey such as deer, foxes, caiman, peccaries, monkeys, sloths, capybara, tapirs, dogs, armadillos and pacas. They have also been known to eat livestock such as cattle and horses. They will also eat smaller animals where larger prey is not available. Some of the common smaller prey that make up the diet of the jaguar includes; frogs, monkeys, fish, birds and turtles. A jaguar requires about 1-2kg (2.2-4.4 lbs) of food per day, but they are capable of eating 25kg (55 lbs) in one feeding which is then followed by a period of fasting.
Related Articles