Jaguars are part of exclusive group known as the “big cats,” which include the lion, tiger, and panther. The scientific name for this species is Panthera Onca. Panthera is a Greek term originating from the Latin word for panther while Onca is derived from the Latin word for lynx. Most Central and South American countries refer to the Jaguar as “el tigre” or the tiger. This is the only big cat found in the New World (western hemisphere) and the only one in the entire genus. The entire taxonomy classification is as follows: Kingdom- Animalia, Phylum- Chordata, Class- Mammalia, Order- Carnivora, Family- Felidae, Genus- Panthera, Species- Panthera Onca.
The range for the jaguar is fairly extensive. Its historical range started in the southern United States and stretched all the way down through Central America to cover most of South America. Fossils have been found as far north as Missouri, Illinois, and Tennessee with jaguars they may have weighed in at around 420 pounds (Museum). Now, due to various reason such as habitat fragmentation, hunting, and other human interference, the range starts in the southwestern area of the United States. It was thought that the jaguar was extirpated from the United States but sightings have been reported in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The northern extent of the range has receded southward about 1000 kilometers and the southern extent about 2000 kilometers northward. The range still flows through Central America but it has become extinct in El Salvador and Uruaguy (IUCN). The southern tip of the range occupies mid to southern South America, covering parts of Argentina and Brazil. The numbers typically increase from north to south. Jaguars are usually found in dense rain forest and that is a l...
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...ance of livestock, population numbers actually were doing well. Farmers in Central and South America starting having trouble with jaguars attacking their livestock so they either tried to kill the jaguars themselves or they have been known to hire full time hunters. In the sixties, the fur-trade boomed, making jaguar skin as a high commodity (Save). This also helped the declining numbers. Another factor is the lack of conservation efforts like in El Salvador and Uruguay, which has seen the animal go extinct.
Works Cited
http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/larson/felis_onca.html
(Museum)
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/15953
(IUCN)
http://savethejaguar.com/jag-index/jag-allabout/jag-aboutthreats
(Save)
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/jaguar.php
(Defenders)
http://savethejaguar.com/jag-index/jag-allabout/jag-aboutecology
(Save 2)
As one of the most endangered species of primate in the world today the Golden Lion Tamarin exists mainly in the areas of South America, more specifically the coasts boarding the country of brazil all the to Uruguay. Originating from the luscious and seemingly never-ending rainforests of Brazil the Golden Lion Tamarins have had to relocate over the years. Due to the interruption of man through out these spacious and lush forests, many species has been left homeless and even pushed to the brink of extinction. Cultivation, deforestation, and industrialization have hacked away at this natural beauty, leaving almost nothing to those who inhabited it before man kind entered this untouched domain, including the homes of the entire population of the Golden Lion Tamarins. These magnificent primates now reside in three major national or biological reserves: Poco das Antas Biological Reserve, União Biological Reserve, and Traquara Municipal National Park. All three work towards protecting and helping rebuild the Golden Lion Tamarin species before they become extinct.
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Identify and label the hemispheres and directions of the United States zoo jaguars and the South American wild jaguars. 3.3.4
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Imagine being eye-to-eye with the largest cat of North and South America, which also happens to be the third largest in the world. The jaguar is unlike many of the other cats in the world for a number of reasons. The jaguar is a gorgeous yet violent creature that lives in a large, altering environment, has numerous preys and predators, with many other extraordinary characteristics.
The main areas where the sloth populations are being affected the greatest are the northern and eastern coasts of South America. The three-toed sloth is most commonly found in red mangrove forests where the land and sea meet. These areas are also where deforestation is most prominent. sloths live in the trees on which they also feed. ...
Thousands of years ago, hunting may have been the cause of the extinction of the North American large land mammals. “Moving up into the 1940’s and 50’s some of today’s most prominent game animals were almost non-existent.”(Kerry G) Over-hunting will directly cause the decline in the particular animal’s species. This will effect everything around it, for example ...
Jen Viegas in the article , More Than Half of All Primates Threatened with Extinction , states that most primates like ape, monkey, tarsier, lemur and loris era threatened with extinction.Viegas supports his statement by explaining information about the threatening of these animals.He is also describing why they're threatened with extinction.First , Viegas states that 60% of primates are threatened with extinction , and 75% are declining in numbers.Then he explains that a species of monkey, called Miss Waldron’s red Colobus have already gone extinct.Viegas also states that the IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) found that human activities, for example, agriculture, wood harvesting, and livestock farming are mostly why
Since approximately 1250 B.C., ancient Egyptians had created and practiced the capture and display of animals in what are now known as zoos (Fravel). Records describe such exotic animals as birds, lions, giraffes, and tigers in captivity (Fravel). Since then, zoos have continued to entertain millions with the exciting chance to view exotic animals up close and personal. Even in ancient Greece, exotic animals were on display in fighting arenas, and in enclosed viewing areas. Originally in America, zoos were just created so that royalty and the wealthy could flaunt their exotic animals to the public (Leolupus). Today, with species threatened and habitats disappearing worldwide, zoos are serving a new purpose other than the mere exhibition of animals – conservation. (Fravel). When you think of a zoo, you either think of a fun, entertaining place that provides close-up and exciting exhibits of wild animals that you would otherwise never get the chance to see, or a place where people keep suffering, unhappy animals captive just for entertainment and display. However, despite whichever view you hold, and despite the stereotypes, some zoos have evolved to serve alternative and helpful purposes. Although some zoos face controversy due to allegations such as lack of space and quality care, neglect, and cruelty, some zoos have programs specifically designed to help and protect animal species. For example, these zoos have programs that help such conservation efforts as breeding.
Obviously, every time an animal dies, the impact could be tremendous. However if the red panda becomes extinct, we would be losing help in the terms of preventing global warming. According to Natasha Freya, she stated that red pandas are very important to the environment because they contribute to clean air and water for over 500 million people. This is because they help maintain a healthy and clean forest. Red Pandas live in bamboo and hollow trees with an average temperature of 10 to 25 degrees Celsius. The forests that the panda’s habitat is in ranges from Nepal to southwest China. If these forests are maintained (by the red panda) and function properly, then we can guarantee a healthy life for the people, animals, and plants of South Asia. Secondly, The Red Panda has a unique biology. The Red Panda is the only species of its kind in the world. Their behavior is unique and they are specialists in their environment. They also have no close living relatives, ultimately making them more unique than most animals! They also play a big role in the food chain. If Red Pandas were to become extinct, the animal’s predators wouldn't have enough of its prey to eat. Also their extinction would disrupt the whole food chain and more animals would die. These Pandas eat insects, bamboo, fruit, eggs, leaves, and plants so therefore, Red Pandas control the growth and population of these animals and species. Red Pandas play a very important role in the ecosystem and it would be a very unfortunate loss if they became extinct.