Male vs Female Jaguars: 3 Key Differences

The jaguar is an animal that symbolizes both ferocity and nobility. Ancient Native Americans took jaguars as a guiding totem/god, a luxury car was named after it, and many sports organizations today, including the NFL Jacksonville team, adopt it as a mascot. What makes this beast even more fascinating are the differences between its genders.

Basic Facts About Jaguars

Before getting into any battle of the sexes with these apex predators, a summary of jaguars should be covered:

• Jaguars are located in Central and Southern America, although there was a time when they roamed as far north as Texas.
• They are known for unique spotted coats known as rosettes (although there are black jaguars due to a melanistic hue variant in the species that produces excess black pigments in the fur).
• Jaguars are the third largest feline in the world, behind lions and tigers, but they get the prize for the biggest cat in the Americas.
• Their length reaches an average of 5 to 6 feet, and they average 250 pounds.
• The animals tend to be solitary creatures, including when it comes to hunting, with territories ranging from temperate pastures to dense tropical forests.
• They are excellent swimmers, climbers, and runners.

Physical Differences Between Males And Females

Beyond their apparent reproductive system differences, the chief variance in jaguar genders is size and strength. The “boys” win this round. Males are typically 30 percent larger than females. On average, males weigh between 100 and 250 pounds, while females weigh between 75 and 200 pounds. The male can grow as long as 7 feet, whereas females usually measure about 6 feet. The largest jaguars of both genders are found in the Brazilian Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland and flooded grasslands.

Territorial Differences Between Males And Females

As mentioned, jaguars are solitary but highly territorial. Yet the male’s territory covers a larger area than its counterpart, although a male’s territory can overlap with several females’ territory. This correspondence means one alpha male is defending against other jaguars that might challenge its domain. Male jaguar roaming can encompass 19 to 53 mi2, while with females, it can cover 10 to 37 mi2. Males also cover more ground within 24 hours, spending a considerable time and energy marking borders with a mixture of scraping trees, vocalization, and scent marking. Females tend to avoid staking territory with any human presence.

Social Behavior Difference Among Jaguars

Unlike lions but akin to tigers, male jaguars are not part of the jaguar family dynamic. In short, the female solely raises the offspring after a brief courtship and birth of offspring. This situation means a female will sometimes gravitate to a habitat with better shelter and prey opportunities. What’s more, females reach sexual maturity between 2 to 3 years compared to 3 to 4 years for males. Both sexes don’t follow a breeding season, depending on the female to become fertile. Once pregnant, the female will give birth to a litter of 2 to 4 cubs.

A male’s roar is typically louder than a female’s (unless she is in heat). Interestingly, the jaguar is the only feline in North America that can roar, although it’s the type whose offspring do not purr (c’est la vie!).

When it comes to food, both genders have the same varied diet, from deer to turtles, with more than 80 different animal species on their menu! That shouldn’t be a problem, as jaguars brag the strongest jaws of any big cat.

In case you were wondering, this magnificent beast doesn’t make for domestication, whether they’re male or female. Being an apex predator balancing entire ecosystems is a full-time, dedicated job regardless if you’re a mom or dad jaguar. However, the good news is that captive jaguars tend to live longer, and that’s a good thing at a time when their species has faced extinction.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Kris Wiktor/Shutterstock.com