1. by Isabella Carson

2.  There are five different groups of animals with vertebrates. These classifications are:  Mammals  Fish  Reptiles  Birds  Amphibians

3. The jaguar has certain characteristics that make it a mammal.  Here are some of its attributes.  They are warm–blooded.  They breath through lungs.  Jaguar’s nurse their babies with milk.  They have hair or fur.  They give birth to live young.

5.  The jaguar is the largest cat in South and North America. The jaguar grows to be about 4 to 6 feet long. The jaguar’s tail grows 2 to  3 feet long. This tail helps the jaguar keep its balance. Their body covering of yellowish/brown fur with black doughnut looking dots. This fur helps them hide or camouflage themselves until they can pounce on or attack their prey. Camouflage is a way to disguise itself.

6.  These large cats are meat eaters. An animal that only eats meat is called a carnivore. Jaguars hunt for mammals, reptiles, birds, and eggs. They also hunt for capybaras, tapirs, turtles, and alligators. Jaguars often bury their prey after killing it so they can eat it later. Jaguars mostly hunt at night if they’re near people.

7.  The jaguar’s mother gives birth to a live cub. Jaguars are excellent climbers and usually drops on its prey. Jaguars are known as very rare cats. Also the jaguar weighs up to 350 pounds.

8. Jaguars are wild cats that live in rain forests, swamps, deserts, and grassland areas from South America and Central. And live close to water. They live close to water because they like to eat mammals, reptiles, fish, birds, turtles and eggs.

10. A jaguars prey takes a single pounce. It only takes 1 pounce because its long retractible claws digs into the skin and stops the animal and then their teeth dig into the prey to make them die. Then they have a feast.

11. Man has caused, troubles for jaguars because they hunt them for sport and now they are endangered because of it.

12. In conclusion, the jaguar has adapted to live successfully in their environment. This animal is currently on the endangered species list. We need to help them by not hunting them for sport.

13. www.enchantedlearning.com/ Cats That Roar! By Kimberly Weinberger Published by Scholastic Inc. Text copy right 1999.