Jaguar or leopard?
How to tell them apart
A jaguar is stockier with a bigger head, and its rosettes are larger, often with a spot inside. Jaguars live only in the Americas; leopards only in Africa and Asia.
Quick answers
They differ on 1 of the 8 quick answers: awake when.
| Question | Jaguar | Leopard |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? | Yes | Yes |
| Dangerous? | Yes | Yes |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? differs | Day & night | Night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | No | No |
At a glance
| Question | Jaguar | Leopard |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | South America, Central America | Africa, Asia |
| Habitat differs | Rainforest, Wetland, Forest, Grassland | Forest, Rainforest, Grassland, Scrub, Mountains |
| Size | Large | Large |
| Length differs | Up to 1.85 m plus tail | 92–183 cm plus a 66–102 cm tail |
| Height differs | 57–81 cm at the shoulder | – |
| Weight differs | 56–96 kg in most regions | 20–72 kg; big males up to 91 kg |
| Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Covered in | Fur | Fur |
| Lives | Alone | Alone |
| Lives for differs | 12–15 years | 12–17 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Jaguar
The biggest cat in the Americas and the only one of the roaring big cats native there. A stocky, heavily spotted hunter that sticks close to rivers and swamps.
Leopard
The most widespread wild cat, a spotted, secretive hunter that survives almost anywhere with cover: rainforest, savanna, mountains and semi-desert across Africa and Asia.
Everything on the leopard page
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Side by side.