Background - March 10, 2006
"Jaguara" is an Indian word, meaning, he who kills with one leap".
Jaguars are the biggest cats in the Americas and they spend
about half their time hunting. They are very fast, short-distance
runners and are most active during early evening and night.
Jaguars are also excellent swimmers and can even cross rivers
that are several kilometers wide. They are very shy and have home
territories that can reach up to 40 square kilometers (15,5 square
miles).
Jaguars live in the Amazon forest, which is the largest
remaining tropical forest in the world - as large as Western Europe
or the USA.
Most of the Amazon rainforest is in Brazil, but parts of it are
also in neighboring Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Suriname, French
Guiana, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
Along with Jaguars, the forest is also home to about 60,000
plant, 1,000 bird and over 300 other animal species. Over 2,000
different species of fish and animals such as the pink freshwater
dolphin and the giant otter swim in its river.
Millions of people also live there - in the Brazilian Amazon
alone around 20 million people live in the rainforest.
However, the forest is under threat due to human developments
and illegal logging, which could lead to the damage or loss of much
of Brazil's remaining Amazon forest.
The ancient forests and their famous animals inhabitants need
your help.
Click here to take action today to help save the homes of these magnificent animals!