Jaguars in South America: Yes, They Are Native There

Jaguars (Panthera onca) are absolutely found in South America. Their historic range extends from the southwestern United States (rare now) through Central America and across South America to northern Argentina and Uruguay.

Current Strongholds in South America

• Amazon Basin: Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana.
• Pantanal (Brazil/Bolivia/Paraguay): World's highest density.
• Gran Chaco: Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina (dry forest).
• Atlantic Forest: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay (fragmented, critically endangered).
• Andean Foothills: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru (up to 3,000 m).

Status

• IUCN: Near Threatened (declining due to habitat loss, poaching, conflict).
• CITES Appendix I (trade banned).
• Extinct in Uruguay, El Salvador; critically endangered in Argentina, USA.

The jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas and a keystone predator in South American ecosystems.