S227729 Jaguar

The third largest feline in the world, the jaguar is the only member of the Panthera genus native to the Americas. They can be found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and throughout Central America. Their primary habitats include rainforests, swamps, and wooded areas.

• History: Symbolically, jaguars are very important to many south American cultures. For example, in the Aztec civilization jaguars were seen as the rulers and warriors of the wild, and the Aztecs honored their best warriors by naming them jaguar knights. Similarly, the Moche culture of Peru used the image of the jaguar to depict power, and often included portrayals of them in their art.
• Scientific Name: Panthera onca