Behold the Fearsome Predator

On the vast arid plains of the Serengeti, the silent and deadly jaguar awaits his prey.

jaguar_cub_slurp

Victim in sight, he creeps slowly forward, his mighty paw raised for the killing stroke… and then…

jaguar_cub_paw

WHUMP!  "Oh, hi boss!  I was just, ah… walking around the yard, minding my own business… you know, thinking about stuff… and definitely not stalking you, honest, I would never do that."

jaguar_cub_nose_boop

Rare jaguar cub born last year at Huachipa Zoo in Lima, Peru.  Details here.

138 comments … read them below or add one

  1. chanpon says:

    I never realized a panther had spots in the black fur. Cool!

    Can I be stalked by toe pads? Please???

  2. Ryan says:

    I’m more frightened of that tuna tartare cat below…

  3. Aoife says:

    Oooo, I’m tewwified! *purr*

  4. Kat says:

    Wow! What a BEAUTIFUL kitty! I bet s/he will be amazing looking when it grows up!

  5. hyura says:

    those eyes look almost puppy-ish.

  6. Ksxsage says:

    Toe beans..giggle…

  7. Theo says:

    JAGUAR CUB NOSE BOOP.
    [gobsmacked]

  8. 260Oakley says:

    Nicely spotted, NTMTOM.

  9. Linda H. says:

    killed by cuteness.

  10. Leslie Hirsch says:

    I want to take those paw pads and dip them in ink soo badly. Imagine the paw print possibilities!

    Afterwards I would clean them and nom them ever so gently.

  11. Theresa says:

    Silent but deadly? Does that means he smells a little?

  12. Theresa says:

    Ps He’s a black jaguar, peeps! Some jaguars are born with black coats, just as some leopards are. Isn’t he a sweet little inkblot? <3 <3 <3

    ["Blaguar." Naturally. - Ed.]

  13. @Theresa: Thanks for pointing out that the lovely creature is a jaguar and not a panther. My mistake, sorry. I’ve corrected the post.

  14. Jenni says:

    A jaguar on the Seregeti?? World traveller. Cute!

  15. Kwistee says:

    Rawr! :3

  16. Theo says:

    LOL, Jenni.

  17. lucy's mommeh says:

    The smudges of dirt on the muzzle just kill me. Bet he’s REALLY soft….

  18. lucy's mommeh says:

    The smudges of dirt on the muzzle just kill me. Bet he’s REALLY soft….

  19. lucy's mommeh says:

    The smudges of dirt on the muzzle just kill me. Bet he’s REALLY soft….

  20. lucy's mommeh says:

    The smudges of dirt on the muzzle just kill me. Bet he’s REALLY soft….

  21. lucy's mommeh says:

    The smudges of dirt on the muzzle just kill me. Bet he’s REALLY soft….

  22. Ginger says:

    i nomnom the paws.
    In the last pic he’s saying, you’re not my mother, you’re a snort!

  23. Von Zeppelin says:

    @Jenni–The jaguars in the Serengeti got there by British Airways (Manaus-Rio de Janeiro-London/Heathrow-Dar es Salaam-Land Rover to the Serengeti). Along the way, they acquired the Brit pronunciation of JAG-you-wer.

    By the way, I want my 1964 JAG-you-wer E-Type painted in the Black-With-Faint-Spots custom color scheme. With red leather upholstery.

  24. Blondie says:

    LMAO! That made my day. I just adopted two 3mo old orange tabbies. They are still working on their stealthy prowess, and think they are *much* bigger than they are.

  25. Pariah says:

    Jaguars are panthers. A panther is not a species. Jaguars and cougars are both called panthers.
    Incidentally, there is no such thing as a black cougar. They have no melanistic color morph.

    Now that our biology lesson is out of the way, back on topic….

    SQUEEEEEEE!!!!! X3
    Lookit de beebee kittee! :D

    *cough*
    That is all.

  26. cath says:

    I’m so confuzled. I totally thought black Jaguars and Panthers were the same thing, so I looked it up in Wikipedia, and here’s what is says:

    “A black panther is a black (melanistic) color variant of one of several species of larger cat which are known by the term panther in various parts of the world, and belong to the feline genus panthera which contains lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars. The name ‘panther’ is often limited to black individuals. ‘Panther’ in North America is most commonly used for the cougar (genus Puma), in Latin America it is most often used to mean a jaguar and elsewhere in the world it usually refers to the leopard (both genus Panthera). The name “panther” it may also refer to individuals which are normally-colored for the species (tawny or spotted), and also to white individuals.”

    If I’m reading this right, I think it means a panther is a black cougar in North America, a black jaguar in South America, and a black leopard elsewhere, except it’s not necessarily black. Huh.

  27. cath says:

    D’oh! Pariah beat me to it, except for the part about there being no black cougars… and now I’m even more confused *head scratch*.

  28. Berg says:

    Those are some crazy big feet! I love the dirty chin and the oh-so-pink tongue as well. That little guy can boop my nose any time he wants!

  29. yarnyoga says:

    PRECIOUS!

    And yes, I’m entirely willing to be “bring-ed them all and in the darkness bind-ed” by this darling!

  30. SoCalSis says:

    Okay, so where does the Pink Panther fit in?

  31. fish eye no miko says:

    Cutest. Predator. EVER.

  32. Noelegy says:

    Ohhhhh, squeelicious. So soft! So failing to be scary.

  33. doxnsox says:

    STUNNING BEHBEH.

    I LOFF HEEM.

  34. AnnaBanana says:

    I once loved CO, but I’m not coming back. I just discovered what H-a-r-t-z really does to people’s pets. It’s sick, and what’s even sicker is that the the mods and Meg know about it. Instead of responding, they’ll probably just remove my comment like they do for anyone else who brings this up. Enjoy this information while it lasts.
    http://tippedearclan.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/not-cuteoverload-to-peddle-products-harmful-to-cute-furry-stars/
    Won’t be back until Meg goes on record admitting their mistake and removes the ad.

  35. AnnaBanna says:

    The mods have H-a-r-t-z blocked from being mentioned in comments in the first place. My post got blocked until I put in the dashes! Unbelievable!

  36. Ryuu says:

    Jaguars aren’t from the Serengeti, leopards are.

  37. superboymom says:

    Here kitty, kitty, kitty . . .

  38. Johanna says:

    It doesn’t matter what size they are, they are still DEADLY, peeps!!

    [paralyzed and asphyxiated by Teh Qte. Typing with one finger and last breath of air]

  39. leendadll says:

    Very rare to be able to see the spots on a black leopard/panther. Very cool & verrrrry cute!

  40. Boy says:

    @AnnaBanna – Huh. Y’know, I’d posted something about [brand] once, and thought it had just gotten clogged in the Tubes somewhere. This will bear watching…

  41. Pariah says:

    I prefer to use natural supplements for my pets anyway. I don’t trust any chemical pet products.

    For flea control I bathe my ratties and kitties with Ivory dish soap. It’s very gentle and gets rid of fleas(a suggestion from my vet) Garlic helps with fleas too. I’ve also heard that eucalyptus oil rubbed into the fur is another good flea deterrent.

    Rats in particular have a lot of health problems. I give my girls a mixture of Echinacea and D-Hist for respiratory health.

    It’s good to keep in mind that most pet food and drug manufacturers are out to make money, not to take care of your pets.

  42. dogface says:

    AnnaBanna:

    So it’s Meg’s fault that a third party’s product might’ve caused harm to some pets (and all the information about this comes from anecdotal sources)? Perhaps she doesn’t agree with the “[brandname] kills” sentiment and doesn’t want to deal with people complaining about it on her blog?

  43. belphebe says:

    @SoCalSiS: I think the Pink Panther is a relative of that Pink Dolphin we saw earlier. (yeah, yeah, different species. details, details.)

    *kisses black kitteh’s nose*

  44. Brenda says:

    OMG, adorable! Love the dark spots on this lil guy! :)

  45. Brenda says:

    OMG, adorable! Love the dark spots on this lil guy! :)

  46. Kah says:

    AWWWWWWWWWW
    CUTE NOSE NUZZLE

  47. Martha in Washington says:

    Little Black Jaguar/Panther/Leopard–You had me at the tongue!

  48. nismo says:

    Oooh! Cute AND deadly!

  49. Kelly says:

    LOVING the pink paw pads/black fur combo.

  50. Patricia says:

    He has big eyes, and some seriouly big paws. Adorable!

  51. leelee says:

    can’t believe i’m the first to mention the adorable peruvian zookeeeper. does that mean i win him? him and the blaguar, right?

  52. claudia says:

    I’m with Ryan… crazy snarly kitty below has me gasping WHOA! Scary! way more than this lil cutiepie. When he GROWS up, then I’ll be afraid ;)

  53. scooterpants says:

    oh. i hope he was certainly stalking that dude! it iz hiz killin nature! rock on lil Jag!, murder/death/kill… this rocks. i luff him.

  54. skip says:

    Hahaha @ toe-bean wrath

  55. MoonCatty says:

    If I were a mousie, Pic #2 might be the last thing I ever saw…

    Bebeh black jaguar, with exquisite rosette pattern, you are both incredibly beautiful and incredibly cute.

    May I pet you now?

  56. Laurenjeanne says:

    how come nobody mentioned the wonderful flattened ears? Just as cute as the toe-beans and the big, glazed over eyes.

  57. berthaservant says:

    Curiously, these photos were taken by Mario Van Peebles.

    (that’s the least potentially offensive Black Panther joke I could come up with)

    AnnaBanana — go away. You don’t pay anything for this site. You don’t have to click on the ads. I’m much more offended by the “GET A GOVERNMENT BAILOUT” ad (which I’m sure is not what it claims to be) but you don’t hear me shaming everyone else or blaspheming Meg.

  58. nads says:

    Now THIS is a birthday present! Yep, 28 today and feeling old, peeps. Nice to see a fresh bebe jaguar making a starting a new life today!

  59. nads says:

    Also- hurrah, Berthaservant!

  60. snorglepuppeh >^_^ says:

    *baby voice*
    That was the most cutest wotest ting ever.
    I’m melting!
    *sploosh*

  61. snorglepuppeh >^_^ says:

    *baby voice*
    That was the most cutest wotest ting ever.
    I’m melting!
    *sploosh*

  62. snorglepuppeh >^_^ says:

    *baby voice*
    That was the most cutest wotest ting ever.
    I’m melting!
    *sploosh*

  63. snorglepuppeh >^_^ says:

    *baby voice*
    That was the most cutest wotest ting ever.
    I’m melting!
    *sploosh*

  64. snorglepuppeh >^_^ says:

    *baby voice*
    That was the most cutest wotest ting ever.
    I’m melting!
    *sploosh*

  65. Teresa says:

    AWW what a cutie. I hope they get more like him/her to help get the jaguar cats off the endangered animal lists.

  66. Clare says:

    Okay, confuzzled Cath!

    “Panther” can mean about a squillion things. Technically any cat in the genus Panthera (great cats) can be called a panther, and the cougar sometimes is as well, but it’s most commonly used as shorthand for “black panther”.

    Now, as others have said, a black panther is not a species in its own right, but the melanistic (black) form of a leopard or jaguar. People often have trouble telling leopards and jaguars apart in their normal colours, hence “panther” has just come to mean “black big cat”. To avoid brain breakage, it’s definitely best to say “black leopard” or “black jaguar” or “cougar” rather than panther, if you know what species you’re looking at!

    In other news, TOEBEANS. <3

  67. binky-mama says:

    I has a rawr. *nose boop*

  68. Frankie says:

    Berthaservant–
    He’s our man.
    If he can’t do it,
    nobody can!

  69. Katt says:

    My gracious, he is so ferocious!

  70. Redzilla says:

    Thanks, Berthaservant for pointing out what ought to be obvious–Teh Free is never free. Somebody has to pay for the website and if the stupid ads in the sidebars do that, fine.

  71. AnneM says:

    Man, the size of those feet are like looking a baby German Shepard or something and going “wow, he’s gonna be a biggun!”

  72. Jill-e-b says:

    @nads – Happy birthday!

    Jaguar, panther, whatever it is, it’s the cutest little big kitty I’ve seen in ages. Love the tongue, and the comically oversized-for-such-a-small-kitty paw pads.
    Here, kitty kitty kitty …

  73. totalee puppy says:

    “I…tawt I taw a puddy tat a tweeping up on me…”

  74. M. V. says:

    Dayum…pawSIES!!!

  75. cath says:

    TOEBEANZ!! :D

    Thanks Clare. Still, it’s probably best not to look up if you hear him shout “Hallooo!” from the treetop, just in case.

    *nervously keeping eyes on the ground*

  76. cachorro says:

    Happy Birthday nads! You
    deserve a baby black jaguar–and he deserves you.

  77. C. says:

    Um, I don’t want to turn this into an all-out commentroversy, but I’d just like to point out that AnnaBanana isn’t objecting to the fact that there are ads on the site – she’s objecting to that one particular ad, and for a very specific reason. Also, if you click on the link she posted, it’s actually quite alarming, and doesn’t sound like “a few anecdotal reports”. (In fact, it’s being phased out due to pressure from the EPA – http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm).

    The part that gets me the most, though, is the name of the company being blocked from posts. I mean, really?

    I’m not jumping to any conclusions here, but I would like to hear MEG’s side of this story. I’m going to assume that she wasn’t aware that it was dangerous, and has now taken the ads off? I haven’t seen any ads for it on here in the last couple of days.

  78. C. says:
  79. bhm says:

    Yikes that’s cute. I just want to hug his little round body and kiss his little spots.

    Now for the zookeeper:
    Yikes that’s cute. I just want to hug his….

  80. Shari says:

    I am ready to be this little guy’s happy slave for life. What a sweetie!

    Yes, I know he’ll grow up to be a bruiser and all that. Please on’t ruin my fantasy just yet!

  81. Subhangi says:

    Awww! I’ve heard of black leopards or panthers but not jaguars! Cute.

  82. Mary S. says:

    Oooh my god, he is SO BLEENWORTHY!
    Though, I’m pretty sure that zookeeper should fear for his nose- that widdle biddy baby is positively FULL of sharp things!

  83. Wordgirl says:

    Actually, a black panther is a black leopard, hence the spots. Also, leopards, black, white or any other color, are not found on the Serengeti. I’m pretty sure they’re indigenous to South America. Sorry, NTMTOM, I didn’t mean to rain on your parade – and that baby is beyond priceless. I want two of them.

  84. AuntieMame says:

    I’m looking down, Pooh! I mean cath!

  85. AuntieMame says:

    And I think we can give NOMTOM artistic latitude and pretend that cute baby jaguars come from the Serengeti, just ’cause it’s funny. (Free snorkel with every visit.)

  86. Mary (the first) says:

    You can keep your orange kittehs with attitude. I’ll take the sweet gorgeous meltingly adorable not to mention ferocious kitteh shown here, of whatever name or color he or she is. Just amazingly wonderful.

  87. Nibbler, devourer of souls says:

    Ohhhnn.. cute kittenness. All the little spots. *snuggle*

  88. Hon Glad says:

    Dahling! what a delicious devore coat, is it Lacroix, sweety dahling.

  89. ffleur says:

    And found in India. Lets not forget Bagheera. http://nuke.enisej.com/Portals/0/Gatti/Cuccioli/Cucciolata%20B/foto%20cartoni/Bagheera.bmp

    As for this little cutie, perhaps a wildebeest is too ambitious, how about a bottle of warm milk hmmmm?

    And Mike?….I like your humour dude.

  90. Raemie L. says:

    Preeetty eyes…

  91. wisekwai says:

    He reminds me of the cat in the movie Apocalypto, nomming on a poor Mayan’s face.

  92. Raemie L. says:

    @Hon Glad: Snickering at the AbFab ref.
    “Of course, it’s Lacroix, dahling. Look, dahling, it has jaguar’d lining… Saffy… sweetie, look!”

  93. feezie says:

    He has a dutty nosie and big feets!

  94. Xtineebee says:

    Came for the leopard vs. jaguar wank, left happy with teh QT

  95. darkshines says:

    Mind your language, Xtineebee!

    Where can you see jaguars? Only in Kenya! Jaguars and orangutans only in Kenya! Forget Norway…..

    (This is an ironic post, as neither animals come from Africa.)

  96. Lily Burana says:

    Toe bleeeeeeeeeeenz!

    Spotty goodness! Must snorfle.

  97. Cameleopard says:

    Sorry Wordgirl, Jaguars are indigenous to South America. Leopards can be found all over Africa and Asia.

    Sooooo Confusink!

  98. Bathos Q. Hauteur says:

    @260Oakley: I see what you did there.

  99. Lesley says:

    Oh those paws! Man that is going to be one big cat.

  100. KittyMarthaPoo says:

    Gorgeous. Love the pinky tongue, baby blues and big ol’ paws!

  101. starling says:

    Ooh yes, Hon Glad, isn’t it absolutely fabulous?

  102. Eastie says:

    WANT! Absolutely beautiful and adorable.

  103. Katrina says:

    Makes me think of Calvin and Hobbes! I can see this little guy get Calvin in aaaall sorts of troubles!

    Happy Birthday, nads! As pooh and Christopher Robin would say, “And many happy returns of the day!” Owl would say “Happy Bithuthtuthday” nads!

  104. momof2kittiesandapuppeh says:

    DO WANT!!

  105. CJ says:

    Oh my lord. The big eyes. The paws. The spots. I don’t think I’ve ever squee’d so loud.

  106. Kristabelle says:

    He is so beautiful!!! I would love to work with big, wild cats! Amazing!!!!

  107. Camille says:

    Ogden Nash explained it best in his poem “The Panther”:

    The panther is like a leopard,
    Except it hasn’t been peppered.
    Should you behold a panther crouch,
    Prepare to say Ouch.
    Better yet, if called by a panther,
    Don’t anther.

  108. violet says:

    awww luv kitty

    I do cat rescue here in the city plus have rescued a couple of young pups too!

  109. marsheeeee says:

    If my baby domestic house cats can pretend they’re on the Serengeti stalking wildebeests (and I see them do that everyday) who says this teeny weeny baby big cat in Peru can pretend the same thing.

    The human guy in this is a real cutie too, as has been observed.

    And Happy Birthday. You’re feeling old at 28. Hmmmmmph.

  110. marsheeeee says:

    I mean who says this teeny weeny baby big cat CAN’T pretend the same thing. Changes the meaning of what I was trying to say.

    (I’m getting old.)

  111. Jan Bolen says:

    Don’t underestimate that little guy. Take a look at the size of his paws!!! That little one is going to grow up big and ferocious! Right now, he is just too cute!

  112. Kats says:

    I am in love with this little guy.

  113. Dexter Fishmore says:

    That is seriously one of the coolest-looking animals I’ve ever seen.

  114. raven says:

    We have Cats n Racks(applause), Now can we please have a category of Pecs n Pets, or Hunks n Monks, or Hotties n Scotties? The pics of cute guys snorgling their critters deserve a category of their own!

  115. Paunchie says:

    what hoooge paws!! Did you know, Jaguars are the second largest big cat in the world, second only to Lions. Seriously I thought tigers were bigger till some Discovery channel show corrected me. And yes, there are NO black cougars. That was also a topic covered on the show. It seems some folk have seen mysterious large black cats in north america. It was speculated that they must be really jaguars who have come northward from latin america.

  116. Paunchie says:

    “if called by a panther, don’t ansther” haha! cute.

  117. Kallisto says:

    Awwww. The feets! He’s got a lot of growing into to do.
    Also, why can’t I snorgle this little predator?

  118. Cheryl says:

    The zookeeper is playing with the kittie. Where is kittie’s mama while these games go on? She has pointy bit designed for skulls and a temper to match (around her babies.)

    And, paging Katherine Hepburn: in “Bringing up Baby”, they refer to the jaguar throughout as a leopard. Drives me crazy.

  119. Dexter Fishmore says:

    60% of the time, this kitty works every time.

  120. Calli Arcale says:

    CUUUUUUUTE!!!!!

    Something quite interesting about jaguars: they have a unique method of taking down their prey. Rather than clamping their jaws on the airway until the prey suffocates, like most big cats, they use their massively powerful jaws (most powerful of any living cat) to crush the skull from behind.

    This is probably why the Aztecs revered them. Their equivalent of an elite knight or samurai was the jaguar warrior.

    But this guy’s in a zoo. He’ll be getting pre-killed meals all his life. So we can just bask in his incredible adorableness. ;-)

    In related news, Macho B has died. Macho B was the first wild jaguar sighted within the United States since the early 20th Century. He is believed to have been about 15, which is pretty elderly. He’d been accidentally live-trapped by a team studying mountain lions, and the stress of capture was apparently the final straw for his failing kidneys. Hopefully, there are more jaguars ranging into the US, and hopefully the order fence idea won’t go ahead and shut them out for good.

  121. Heather says:

    I got bit on the butt by a baby (ok, toddler) jaguar once. It hurt a surprising amount. Lesson learned: no, you really can’t turn your back on a jaguar.

    http://heather.magnesium.net/gallery/030330/oz_stretch_towel_2074

  122. Heather says:

    Oops, I mean leopard. I was bit on the butt by a leopard.

    Here he is now, holy crap:
    http://www.wildthingsinc.com/assets/images/PICT2140_sml.JPG

  123. emudoug says:

    oh no! headbutts!

  124. Cara N. says:

    WANT

  125. E says:

    Haha, that first picture is the EPITOME of redonkulousness!

  126. Jen M. says:

    I know he’s going to grow up and be incredibly dangerous and whatnot, but now I just want to squeeze him.

  127. gray lensman says:

    It’s good he’s at the “watch it, pa!” zoo.

  128. Wordgirl says:

    Cameleopard, thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

  129. hester says:

    Was that a Calvin & Hobbes strip or am I tripping?

  130. Jenn says:

    @Kwistee @binky-mama This lil’ buddy has been my desktop picture for a while. RAWR. http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/06/24/funny-pictures-rawr/

  131. Elena Gerli says:

    Just to be excessively detail oriented: if he’s a Serengeti anything, it’s a Serengeti leopard, not jaguar. Leopards are indigenous to East Africa, jaguars are not.

    Either way, what a pumpkin!!

  132. compy-saur says:

    Jaguars are from South America, not Africa (the Serengeti is in Africa).

    It probably doesn’t matter, but I don’t think anyone brought it up.

    Precious fella :-)

  133. Draithy says:

    @Paunchie, also, the “black cougars” people have “seen” have been figured likely to be margays or ocelots, just reported as bigger than they were since… people tend to do that! :)

    See… the big kitties in N. America have THREE names to juggle… Cougar, Panther, Mountain Lion… we call them all three! How confusing for a pretty kitty like this cub (yes, I know, he’s not a cougar, but still!)

    Just look at that adorable little nose.. *pokes*

  134. Xenobiologista says:

    The African swallows carried him to the Serengeti, hanging from a stick carried in their claws.

  135. Madison Facer says:

    DUDE HE IS WAY CUTE !!! i would die if i saw him =]

  136. pank says:

    WOW. so beautiful !!!

  137. Jing says:

    Ohhh……..

  138. Talita Sabino says:

    Jaguar here in Brazil is called onça-pintada, from Amazonia Forest. Usually they are yellow with black spots, but from the same mother may come yellow and black animals. So the black jaguar in fact is a normal jaguar with a different collor. Siblings can be yellow and black.