Category: Mammals
The jaguar is the largest wild feline in the Americas and ranges from the southwestern United States all the way down to northern Argentina. For habitat, it prefers dense rainforest but will tolerate a variety of forested and open environments. Their stocky, powerful limb structure allows them to be adept at swimming, climbing, and crawling. Its exceptionally powerful bite contributes to its versatility as a predator – it is able to puncture the armor of reptiles as well as kill prey by biting through the skull.
Wake me in 9 months…
There may be times when you are so tired you feel as if you could sleep for several days - but of course that is not possible without dying from dehydration. However, some mammals have such fine control over their metabolisms, they are capable of nodding off for days or even months, in a state called hibernation. This helps an animal survive during cold periods when food is scarce. A prime example is the alpine marmot who can hibernate for up to 9 months of the year: gathering food and adding about 50% more body weight (primarily fat) as summer ends, the alpine marmot seals itself in a deep burrow, heart rate slowing to five beats per minute, breathing as little as once per minute - emerging (far lighter!) in May, when food is once again available!
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
