ON THE HUNT
One thing that makes a jaguar unique from other cats is its hunting techniques.This cat hunts for food on the ground, in trees, and while swimming in water. No other cat does this.“ Even lions and tigers-the closest relatives of the jaguar-don‘t go after prey in all three spots,” Rabinowitz says. “They usually just nab prey on the ground.”
What’s more, jaguars use a different hunting strategy from most other felines. A lot of cats chase targets over long distances. A jaguar silently sneaks up to prey such as tapirs before ambushing its meal. The animal creeps closer to its mark than even the tiger, another sneaky cat that gets about 20 feet from prey before pouncing.
When jaguars finally strike, they do so in their own special way. Most felines struggle with prey before overpowering it. But a jaguar has the largest jaws of any big cat. so its bite is so strong it’s often able to take down its target with just one chomp. “Jaguars don’t mess around." Rabinowitz says. “ They’re extremely eiiicient hunters.”
But just because jaguars slay it with their hunting skills doesn't mean they like to fight. They only scuflie when necessary.
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BON VOYAGE
The cat's habits-its ability to swim and climb, its avoidance of conflict. and its steaith-have contributed to another unique jaguar feature: its travelingskills.
When these felines become independent from their moms at around age two, they go on a solo road trip, trekking up to 150 miles in search of new territory. (The jaguar’s range stretches from northern Mexico to the country of Argentina.)
Using their swimming skills, they can cross bodies of water that would act as an obstacle to most other cats. And their sneaky nature and reluctance to fight allow them to pass through many dangerous areas without being noticed. Because of their one-of-a-kind characteristics, jaguars can travel longer distances than other cats looking for new home turf.