jaguar

The jaguar has been hunted for its beautiful coat. This is commonly a rich yellow or tawny colour, marked with dark spots and rosettes running along the back and sides. The jaguar is an agile hunter, often climbing trees to wait for prey, and is an excellent swimmer.

Largest species of cat in the Americas, formerly ranging from the southwestern USA to southern South America, but now extinct in most of North America. It can grow up to 2.5 m/8 ft long including the tail. Male jaguars weigh up to 150 kg/330 lb; females up to 90 kg/198 lb. The background colour of the fur varies from creamy white to brown or black, and is covered with black spots. The jaguar is usually solitary and lives approximately 11 years in the wild. (Species Panthera onca, family Felidae.)

The gestation period is 100 days and between one and four cubs are born. Jaguars are good swimmers and favour territory that is near water or flooded seasonally.

In 1999 there were 10,000–15,000 jaguars in the wild.

Jaguar

British car manufacturer that has enjoyed a long association with motor racing; owned by Ford from 1989. One of the most successful companies in the 1950s, Jaguar won the Le Mans 24-hour race five times 1951–58. They enjoyed a comeback at Le Mans in the late 1980s winning in 1988 and 1990. Jaguar made its Formula 1 debut in 2000, after Ford decided to relaunch its Stewart-Ford team under the Jaguar marque.

The legendary Le MansXK120 was built in 1949. In the 1960s Jaguar were unable to compete with more powerful Ferrari sports cars. In 1989 the company was bought by Ford for £1.6 billion.