Jaguar

Description:

This is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Apart from a known and possibly breeding population in Arizona (southeast of Tucson), the cat has largely been extirpated from the United States since the early 20th century.

Habitat:

This jaguar lives at the Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Notes:

This poor jaguar had been happily lying down (though was being harassed a little by a sibling) until some children came up to the exhibit and started yelling and banging on the glass. The jaguar got frightened and leaped at the largest thing it saw which was me. After we shooed the children off the jaguar moved to a different part of the exhibit and went back to sleep. Parents please keep your children under control around any animals and do not let them yell or bang on exhibits. Edit: Turns out this is momma jaguar. The zookeepers informed me she's always a bit cranky.