We saved the hardest part for the end so first, a little review:
1. Cheetah spots are solid black
2. Leopard spots are actually rosettes
And now the tricky part – jaguar spots are also rosettes, but with one subtle difference.
Jaguar rosettes have black spots inside them. The tricky part is that some leopard rosettes have spots and some jaguar rosettes don’t, so how else can you tell?
First, check your map – if you’re in Africa or Asia, its a leopard. If you’re in Central or South America, its a jaguar. When compared side by side, jaguars also tend to have a stockier build, and anyone that as worked with them in a zoo will tell you their temperaments are quite different as well.
More Posts Like This!
- Cats of a Different Color: Leopards Leopards are quite a bit different than cheetahs, their markings are not really spots but rosettes – notice how they are...
- Cats of a Different Color: Cheetahs Three species of large cats have spots and to the casual observer, they may all look the same. But if...
- Another Spotted Cat Things are just crazy busy in Carnivores these days, so much so that I barely have time to blog, which...
- Photo of the Day: April 17 Cocoy the Jaguar...
- Photo of the Day: March 31 Clouded Leopard...
Thanks – I always get leopards and jaguars mixed up. I know leopards have more variation in their coats, including the black leopards and the clouded leopards. Are all jaguars found with all pretty much the kind of coat you have pictured here?