THE JAGUAR'S SHADOW:
Searching for a Mythic Cat
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This Brazilian jaguar skin is one of an estimated hundreds of pelts harvested and sold illegally in Latin America each year. These items are often used in the manufacture of fur coats and other luxury apparel. Even though international trade in jaguar products has been banned by law since the 1970s, poaching continues to take its toll on these endangered cats. (In dollar amounts, illegal wildlife commerce is one of the top five international industries.)
To learn more about poaching and the black market wildlife trade...Click here or here
| Jaguar pictures... |
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What an adorable cub! Belize Zoo founder Sharon Matola hand-fed Junior after his wild-caught mother gave birth after capture and refused to feed him. Junior is now all grown up and looks something like the mature male jaguar shown below. All jaguars are elusive, but cubs and females in particular are very rarely seen. A mom typically raises two to four cubs at a time, a process that takes nearly two years and requires a lot of food. (Males do not typically participate in cub-rearing.) Click here to search through dozens of jaguar photos... Internet sources of excellent jaguar images include: Biocrawler - Miscellaneous fine photos and videos One World Expeditions - An elaborate, lovely slide show San Diego Zoo - Some terrific shots and a good summary Arkive - A specialist in expert wildlife data and pictures National Geographic Archive - Lots of sounds, facts and pictures Jaguar sounds...
An adult jaguar such as this jungle-prowling male leads a solitary life. Communication with other cats includes guttural roars used variously to claim territory, seek a mate, or proclaim presence. Jaguars are the only roaring cats of the Americas. (Mountain lions, bobcats, and other regional felids lack the proper bone structure to make a roar.) Click here to listen to several jaguar vocalizations... Internet sources of excellent jaguar sounds include: You Tube - See and hear two zoo jaguars catching fish You Tube - See and hear a jaguar stalk and attack a capybara |
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A total of 41 maps and photos appear in the book. Many have never been published previously. Jaguar experts providing pictures taken during field research include Emil McCain, Octavio Rosas Rosas, Carolyn Miller, Sharon Matola, Carol Farneti Foster, and Warner Glenn. Historic images from the American Museum of Natural History and the Arizona Historical Society are also included, as well as maps showing current and past ranges of jaguars throughout the Americas. To learn more about THE JAGUAR'S SHADOW... |
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Richard Mahler is an award-winning author, editor, and tour guide based in Silver City, New Mexico. His current specializations include nature, indigenous cultures, travel, and conservation.
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Top-left and cub photo courtesy Belize Zoo. Above photo courtesy Carolyn Miller.