Playing (Panthera onca)
Written by Saturday, 24 January 2009 17:21
"From beasts we scorn as soulless,In forest, field and den,
The cry goes up to witness the soullessness of men." M. Frida Hartley
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Panthera onca (common name: Jaguar) It was a bad day to take photos as the light was low and the animals were in a dark spot in their enclosure. Fortunately the shots were clear and we managed capture Jenny and Spotty, the pair of jaguars living in Attica Park, in some intimate moments. 1. Photo by Marina Parha Camera: Nikon D2X 2. Photo by Nicholas Parchas Camera: Nikon D80 |
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Panthera onca (family: Felidae; common name: Jaguar) The jaguar, Panthera onca, is a New World feline and one of the four "big cats" in the Panthera genus, along with the tiger, the lion, and the leopard of the Old World. It is the only Panthera found in the New World. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and on average the largest and most powerful feline in the Western Hemisphere. This spotted cat most closely resembles the leopard physically, although it is usually larger and of sturdier build and its behavioural and habitat characteristics are closer to those of the tiger. While dense rainforest is its preferred habitat, the jaguar will range across a variety of forested and open terrain. It is strongly associated with the presence of water and is notable, along with the tiger, as a feline that enjoys swimming. The jaguar is a largely solitary, stalk-and-ambush predator, and is opportunistic in prey selection. It is also an apex and keystone predator, playing an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating the populations of prey species. The jaguar has developed an exceptionally powerful bite, even relative to the other big cats. This allows it to pierce the shells of armoured reptiles and to employ an unusual killing method: it bites directly through the skull of prey between the ears to deliver a fatal blow to the brain. The two animals shown in the pictures below have been together for almost three years now. The male is called “Spotty” and the female which is a melanistic jaguar is called Jennie. Jennie is much older than Spotty, who only recently equaled her in size. Although the male is more powerful and bit larger now, still age plays a role so he is extremely careful not to overdo it. After all, Jennie is a Jaguar, too, and it only takes a fraction of a second for this type of animal to kill. Apart from that, the sight of the two jaguars playing with each other is an unforgettable experience. You can see all the skills that make them powerful predators being used in a far more gentle way, while their moves are always characterized by elegance. The use of a high shutter speed is always recommended since, even when seemingly still, a sudden move can occur any minute. I turned the camera to “shutter priority” mode, set a speed of 1/500 sec and allowed it to change ISO settings up to ISO 400 automatically. Photos by George J. Reclos Camera: Nikon D2x |
These photographs have been taken at the Attica Zoological Park. They cannot be reproduced without the written permission of the photographers. Please contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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