Jaguar vs Leopard
The big cats are absolutely fascinating. Man’s desire to watch (and learn) from these incredible predators is evidenced, if nothing else, by the proliferation of big cat shows on television. Lions are easy to recognize by their majestic manes. You can always tell a tigers by its stripes. But what about the next two big cats: jaguars and leopards? How can you tell the difference between the two?
Geographical Distribution
Jaguar ‘“ if you are in South America, Central America, Mexico, or very select parts of the southern United States, chances are you are seeing a jaguar. It is exclusively a New World cat.
Leopard ‘“ lives in the Old World. Populations are found from China and India to the Middle East and down into Africa.
Physical Appearance
Jaguar ‘“ the third largest of the four big cats. It has a sturdy build and usually weights between 125 and 200 pounds. It can reach up to six feet long and stand at about 2 and half feet at the shoulder. Its coat has a tawny brown base and is covered with black rosette spots.
Leopard ‘“ is the smallest of the four big cats. It is stocky and has short legs. The largest of the leopards can reach up to 200 pounds, but a weight of 150 pounds for males is much more common. Leopards are about five feet long and stand just over two feet high. Leopards are also distinguished by their rosette covered coat but their rosettes are smaller and more tightly spaced.
Hunting and Feeding Behaviors
Jaguar ‘“ will either crush and suffocate and victim or bite straight through his skull. It prefers to stalk and eventually ambush its prey rather than chase it. Then it pounces from a prey’s blind spot. After the kill, jaguars prefer to drag their meal to a secluded spot to eat. They are carnivores but will eat almost any kind of meat.
Leopard ‘“ kill their prey by a suffocating bite. They too would rather stalk than chase their prey. Leopards will often drag their meal up a tree to eat in seclusion. They will eat anything from beetles to antelope, depending on their habitat.
Both leopards and jaguars have been extensively hunted by humans both for their furs and as livestock pests. Because of this, their populations have greatly decreased and both species are listed as threatened.
Summary:
1.Leopards and jaguars are both big cats that are similar in appearance.
2.Leopards live in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East while jaguars live in South and Central America.
3.Jaguars are larger and stockier than leopards.
4.Jaguars can kill their prey by cracking their skulls while leopards kill with a suffocating bite.