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The Jaguar is found today from southern
Mexico southwards to Argentina. Its last stronghold is Amazonia and it is rare
everywhere else. Until the 1940s there were still small colonies in Texas and
Arizona, but it is now extinct there. It is also believed that there are only
a few hundred left in the whole of Central America.
Because of its forest habitat it is difficult to estimate its total numbers with
any accuracy, but it is safe to say that it is an endangered species because of
deforestation, persecution as a result of its attacks on domestic animals, and,
above all, fur-trapping. The fur trade records show that, as recently as the 1960s,
there was an annual slaughter of no fewer than 15,000 jaguars in Amazonian Brazil
alone. Today, 15,000 is probably not too far from the figure for the total world
population. |
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