# Where Do Jaguars Live?

> Jaguars live only in the Americas — Mexico to South America, remaining range mostly Amazon. IUCN Near Threatened, declining.

- **Species:** Jaguar (*Panthera onca*)
- **Conservation status:** Near Threatened
- **Diet:** Carnivore
- **Habitat:** Rainforest, wetland, grassland
- **Lifespan:** 12–15 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** 80 km/h (50 mph) in short bursts
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/jaguar/where-do-jaguar-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/jaguar/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas and the third largest in the world, weighing up to 120 kg (265 lb). Found from Mexico through Central and South America, it has the strongest bite relative to size of any big cat and often kills by piercing the skull. Wild jaguars typically live 12 to 15 years.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## Bite and hunting style

The jaguar has the most powerful bite of any big cat relative to its size. Unlike lions or tigers, which usually go for the throat, jaguars often kill by biting directly through the skull or the back of the neck. They are ambush hunters and will take prey as varied as capybara, deer, caiman, and turtles.

## Help protect the Jaguar

Jaguars lose Amazon and Cerrado corridors to ranching, mining and roads. WARN funds partner-led coexistence and rescue in Brazil and Colombia.

[Donate to jaguar protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/jaguars/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/jaguar/where-do-jaguar-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.