Why Is the Jaguar Endangered?

Jaguars are endangered because of habitat destruction, hunting and persecution by cattle ranchers. They are only endangered in certain parts of their range, such as the United States, Mexico and El Salvador. They do have some stable populations, but human development threatens them everywhere.

Jaguars prefer tropical moist lowland forests, but they are also found in swamps, scrubland and other environments. They are key members of their ecosystems and are peak predators throughout their habitat. They are very widespread, but only occupy 46 percent of their historical range as of 2014. Their only major predators are humans, although young jaguars are vulnerable to other predators and are totally dependent on their mothers for protection.