The three largest cats on the American continent are the jaguar (Panthera onca), the puma (Puma concolor) and the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis). All of them can be found in the Brazilian forests, which are also home to five other felines, the family of which cats in general belong: the margay, the small wild cat, the large wild cat, the haystack cat and the moorish cat. Known in North America as a jaguar, the jaguar is the largest of all American felines, reaching 1.80 meters in length – not counting the tail, which is another 60 centimeters. She is a predator of more than 80 different animals. The puma is a little smaller than the guinea fowl, reaching just over 1 meter. Its name derives from the coloration of the coat, which can be brown, pinkish-beige, gray or rust-colored.
The ocelot, in turn, is the smallest of the three, not reaching 1 meter. “Despite being robust, the three are smaller than the African and Asian felines”, says biologist Mara Marques de Ângelo, from the Zoological Park Foundation of São Paulo. The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), which lives in Asian forests, is the largest feline on the planet, measuring up to 2.80 meters and weighing 360 kilograms. The lion (Panthera leo), absolute ruler of the African steppes, reaches 2.50 meters and 250 kilos. Although smaller than their cousins on other continents, American felines are skilled hunters, develop great speed and jump very well. They are, in short, excellent predators. The problem is that they are all on the list of endangered animals, according to the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), a government agency based in Brasília. “The threat happens mainly because of the devastation of their habitats and predatory hunting”, says Mara Ângelo.
Jaguar bite pierces even a turtle’s shell
PUMA
1.08 meters • 100 kilos
Depending on the region of the continent, it may be called a puma, cougar or mountain lion. It is a skilled jumper, capable of jumping up to 6 meters long when hunting or jumping from places 15 meters high. It is a nocturnal animal and difficult to find. Although males tolerate each other, they tend to avoid each other. On its menu are from small rodents to large mammals, such as capybaras and deer.
OCELOT
90 centimeters • 16 kilos
One of the most common felines in South America, the ocelot comes out at night to hunt and remains hidden during the day in denser forest areas, caves and even in hollow parts of trees. In Brazil, it is found in the cerrado, in the caatinga, in forests and in flooded regions, such as the Pantanal. Due to the beauty of its skin, it is an animal very targeted by hunters who work in the black market.
JAGUAR
1.80 meters • 160 kilos
The largest cat in the Americas is a solitary and ferocious animal, but it never attacks humans. In addition to being a skilful swimmer, the jaguar is very agile when climbing trees. Equipped with strong jaws, it kills its prey by piercing the skull with its canine teeth. Its bite is so strong that it can even pierce a turtle’s shell. There are three subspecies of it in Brazil, with Panthera onca palustris, found in the Pantanal, being the largest.
on the right trail
The three animals are found in Brazil