How Are Jaguars Affected by Deforestation?

Jaguars, just like the other animals that live in the rainforests, either die or have to relocate because their habitat is destroyed during deforestation.  When deforestation occurs, jaguars are affected by losing food and mates.  If there are no other areas where they can hunt, they will die.

When people build roads and clear vast sections of the rainforest, it affects every animal.  Jaguars are no exception and jaguars are affected by deforestation when it fragments their habitat.  This leaves less food for them and fewer mates.  So the species number diminishes from not having enough food to not having enough mates so they can make more jaguars.

In order to survive, a jaguar needs a lot of space.  When even a road is built, or land is cleared, it disrupts their hunting patterns.  If there is not enough land for the jaguars to hunt on, then they are in direct competition with humans.  When jaguars turn to livestock for food, then they are killed by humans to protect their livestock.  This is an indirect affect of deforestation on jaguars.  

Other Threats to Jaguars 

Another threat to Jaguars is the fur trade.  Their coat is so beautiful that they have been hunted to near extinction because of this.  Even though they have been on the endangered species list since the 1970s, the jaguars are still affected by deforestation and hunting. 

Another threat comes from the border between the United States and Mexico.  The United States government is looking into ways to prevent illegal aliens from crossing the border, and many of these measures would also stop jaguars.  There has been talk of building walls, fences, light corridors, and roads.  

Life of Jaguars 

Because of the affect of hunting and deforestation on jaguars, there are only approximately 15,000 worldwide.  They are mostly found in Mexico, Central America, and South America in the rainforests, but can be found in grassy areas near water.  Thus, it is clear to see how jaguars are affected by deforestation.

Jaguars are such unique animals that it is vitally important to ensure that the effects of deforestation on jaguars do not lean to extinction. Some of their unique features include:

• They are a top predator in their ecosystem and hunt mostly at night by stalking and ambushing their prey.  Because of their large and strong jaw muscles, they can pierce the skull of prey to kill them.  This means they can eat turtles, tortoises, and caimans (a kind of alligator).  They also eat rabbits, deer, cattle, tapirs, sloth, pigs, and fish.
• An adult jaguar can weigh from 70 to 300 pounds and are between five and six feet long (not including their tails).  Their coats have large rosettes which enclose small spots.  Leopards, on the other hand, have smaller rosettes that are lighter in color and they do not usually enclose spots.  Jaguars are stockier than leopards, and have tails that are thicker and shorter.     
• There is no such thing as a black panther.  There are black jaguars and black leopards.  Sometimes the word “panther” is used to refer to others of the Panthera class.  The Panthera class of mammals consists of four animals: lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars.

Jaguars, or Panthera onca, are affected by deforestation because their habitat is destroyed, they lose food and mates. They are also killed to protect livestock.