Our Goal: Conserve & restore jaguars to historic ranges in the U.S. through protection of habitat and migration corridors in the Southwest borderlands.
Their spots are called rosettes and are unique like a human fingerprint
Jaguar are the largest and most powerful cat in the Western Hemisphere
Jaguar are one of the only cats who don’t mind water
Their name is derived from the Native American word yaguar which means “he who kills with one leap”
Their jaws are powerful enough to pierce a skull and crack a turtle shell
What WCS is doing:
WCS has been protecting jaguars for more than three decades -- safeguarding more than 5,000 jaguars and 400,000 square km of jaguar habitat in 10 countries. Through our long-term commitment and partnerships, jaguar populations have grown by nearly eight percent per year at WCS conservation sites in Latin America. WCS has also played a critical role in the development of regional and national jaguar recovery plans, including the southern U.S. along the U.S.-Mexico border. These iconic species have potential to inhabit areas of New Mexico and Arizona in the future.
THREATS:
Jaguars currently occupy less than half of their historic range, which was once continuous from the southern United States to central Argentina. Rapid urbanization and development are resulting in jaguar habitat being lost and fragmented (meaning they are trapped in patches of forest and can’t travel far to find new mates), declining prey, and growing conflicts with humans resulting in poisoning and shootings.
Be a Jaguar Ambassador:
Healthy jaguar populations = healthy wild places. As top-level predators, jaguar ensure that other wildlife thrive in a dynamic ecological equilibrium through food chain links.