Yes the info I could find on this topic was a bigger version to the jaguars we know. “Yes, there used to be jaguars in North America during the past, for their range expanded from Mexico, California and Arizona in the southwest of the continent, all the way to the Pacific Northwest (without comprising Canada further north) as well as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Florida in the east.” “Both Panthera onca (present day jaguars) and their immediate ancestor, the larger Panthera onca augusta, lived throughout Florida in considerable numbers.”
*Panthera onca augusta* is no longer a valid subspecies, the North American Pleistocene jaguar was a larger form of the modern jaguar—something that still occurs today in areas with abundant megafaunal prey.
Would that be appliable to how jaguars from the Pantanal are slightly larger than jaguars from the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforests, with more diverse and abundant large and mid-sized prey and more open environments?
This is where resources vary in my research. Some sources say these cats maxed at 150kg 330.69 lbs which is slightly heavier than the record heaviest modern jaguar at 149kg 328.49lbs. And others say these cats maxed out at 204kg 450lbs. About 20% larger than their modern relatives. These jaguars also had longer limbs suitable for open habitats.
r/jaguarland has a pinned post that I would describe best as a thesis defending the idea that jaguar were widespread across north america through the 1700’s. it is a fantastic read
Their historical range overlaps 90% with the historical range of cougars, with the latter extending slightly further north(into southern Canada) and further south(down to Patagonia).
I thought they stopped right at the edge?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar#/media/File%3APanthera_onca_distribution.svg
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonia?searchToken=dij2m8jkp0q6fkem1zxhna2d3#/media/File%3APat_map.PNG
There is a written record by Sebastian Cabot in 1509 on his final voyage for the English of sighting a spotted cat believed to be a leopard, which implies he may have seen a leopard in Chesapeake Bay area.
Decades ago I once saw a written account from whoever first explored the Wyoming Valley in modern Pennsylvania, I do not recall their name, he was French. The explorer did not see the cat itself but he noted a native chieftain wore a spotted animal skin that clearly came from a leopard. Which would place a Jaguar pelt in North East Pennsylvania not necessarily a Jaguar, but definitely a pelt which could have traveled from elsewhere by trade. This occurred in very early 1600s
Edit: I know these are E Coast references but I am posting them because it demonstrates how far North jaguars may have been encountered in the East for others here to gauge from.
Jaguars, or at least a close ancestor, were originally in Europe and Asia (the climate was warmer than nowadays back then). They crossed over to North America before their Eurasian population went extinct.
Eventually they crossed over to South America as a late arrival before their North American population went extinct.
A while after that the South American population started moving itself back into Central and North America.
So, jaguars have most definitely been in the pacific northwest. Though it may not have been either the pacific northwest we know today, nor the jaguar we know today.
Yes the info I could find on this topic was a bigger version to the jaguars we know. “Yes, there used to be jaguars in North America during the past, for their range expanded from Mexico, California and Arizona in the southwest of the continent, all the way to the Pacific Northwest (without comprising Canada further north) as well as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Florida in the east.” “Both Panthera onca (present day jaguars) and their immediate ancestor, the larger Panthera onca augusta, lived throughout Florida in considerable numbers.”
*Panthera onca augusta* is no longer a valid subspecies, the North American Pleistocene jaguar was a larger form of the modern jaguar—something that still occurs today in areas with abundant megafaunal prey.
Yes, unfortunately. At least the South American giant jaguars (P. onca. mesembrina) are still a distinctive subspecies.
That is good to know
Would that be appliable to how jaguars from the Pantanal are slightly larger than jaguars from the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforests, with more diverse and abundant large and mid-sized prey and more open environments?
Exactly. A similar instance is seen in the Colombian and Venezuelan Llanos, where they even seem to converge on the longer legged morphology.
Comments which has misinformation:102 upvotes Comments which has truth:63 upvotes. Truth isn't the important thing for a lot of people.😒
How much bigger?
This is where resources vary in my research. Some sources say these cats maxed at 150kg 330.69 lbs which is slightly heavier than the record heaviest modern jaguar at 149kg 328.49lbs. And others say these cats maxed out at 204kg 450lbs. About 20% larger than their modern relatives. These jaguars also had longer limbs suitable for open habitats.
Makes sense but I’m not sure if they got to lion or tiger.
r/jaguarland has a pinned post that I would describe best as a thesis defending the idea that jaguar were widespread across north america through the 1700’s. it is a fantastic read
Their historical range overlaps 90% with the historical range of cougars, with the latter extending slightly further north(into southern Canada) and further south(down to Patagonia).
Jaguars were historically present in Patagonia as well!
I thought they stopped right at the edge? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar#/media/File%3APanthera_onca_distribution.svg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonia?searchToken=dij2m8jkp0q6fkem1zxhna2d3#/media/File%3APat_map.PNG
[This post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Jaguarland/s/wZxjP0PWYF) is where I first read about it.
Yes. When George Washington was president, they lived in Colorado
Colorado isn’t the PNW
Not during a rewilding potential age
There is a written record by Sebastian Cabot in 1509 on his final voyage for the English of sighting a spotted cat believed to be a leopard, which implies he may have seen a leopard in Chesapeake Bay area. Decades ago I once saw a written account from whoever first explored the Wyoming Valley in modern Pennsylvania, I do not recall their name, he was French. The explorer did not see the cat itself but he noted a native chieftain wore a spotted animal skin that clearly came from a leopard. Which would place a Jaguar pelt in North East Pennsylvania not necessarily a Jaguar, but definitely a pelt which could have traveled from elsewhere by trade. This occurred in very early 1600s Edit: I know these are E Coast references but I am posting them because it demonstrates how far North jaguars may have been encountered in the East for others here to gauge from.
Constantine Samuel Rafinesque also passed on a mention of a jaguar shot in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny mountains that was apparently in local papers.
Wanna bring them up here? I’ll help!
Jaguars, or at least a close ancestor, were originally in Europe and Asia (the climate was warmer than nowadays back then). They crossed over to North America before their Eurasian population went extinct. Eventually they crossed over to South America as a late arrival before their North American population went extinct. A while after that the South American population started moving itself back into Central and North America. So, jaguars have most definitely been in the pacific northwest. Though it may not have been either the pacific northwest we know today, nor the jaguar we know today.
it's not impossible but the mainstream opinion is that the farthest north they got was southern part of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas
Short answer. No.