Jaguar

The jaguar, the world's third-biggest cat, prefers deep jungles and marshes. Its tawny speckled coat makes it immediately identifiable to humans, but harder to find for other animals. The design helps the jaguar blend in with a variety of backdrops, including tree branches and long grass.

Because of its similar patterning, the jaguar is easily confused with cheetahs and leopards. The jaguar's camouflaging tool is distinctive because of its irregular rosettes (circular marks) and little spots inside them. Unfortunately, the markings on jaguars haven't been enough to keep them safe from their most dangerous predator: people. Jaguar were once found throughout North and South America, but are now confined to the latter, as well as a few Central American holdouts and probably a few in Mexico. In 2018, one of the last wild jaguars in the US was killed.

Scientific Name: Panthera Onca
Distribution: From Mexico through Central America to South America