In a delightful discovery, researchers have captured the first-ever recordings of jaguars meowing, a sound that closely resembles the familiar call of our domestic cats. These magnificent creatures, weighing over 300 pounds, are known for their prowess as formidable predators, often taking down large caiman and even cattle. Yet, recent footage from camera traps reveals a softer side to these big cats.
This exciting find occurred in Brazil’s Iguaçu National Park, where a collaborative team of British and Brazilian ecologists conducted a camera trap survey. Their observations included not only the intriguing ‘meow’ but also two other unique vocalizations, all documented from two female jaguars on three different occasions.
Interestingly, while jaguars belong to the Panthera genus, they don’t purr like housecats due to their larger vocal cords and a special bone structure in their necks. However, they can produce sounds remarkably similar to a meow. The researchers noted, “Our results suggest that jaguars’ vocal repertoire is more complex than previously documented,” as detailed in their study published in the journal Behavior.
Unlike many other big cat species, the jaguar is not endangered and enjoys a stable habitat, showing resilience in the face of human activity. Since 2018, biologists have been monitoring these majestic animals in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Iguaçu, utilizing camera traps to gain insights into their behavior. These traps capture audio and video every six seconds for 15 seconds at a time.
Among the recorded meows, two instances featured an adult female seemingly searching for her cub, while a third recorded a one-year-old female cub possibly calling for her mother.
Dr. Marina Duarte, a Research Fellow at the University of Salford, expressed her excitement about this groundbreaking finding, stating, “As far as we know, this is the first time that jaguars have been recorded using this kind of communication.”
This research significantly enhances our understanding of how big cats communicate. The sounds may be used to locate their young and could also serve reproductive purposes, such as attracting a mate. “It does sound very cute to our ears!” she added.
Vania Foster, Head of Research for the Project Jaguars of Iguaçu, emphasized the importance of long-term monitoring efforts. “These results highlight the value of studying this iconic Atlantic Forest species and show that there is still so much to learn about how jaguars interact and communicate in their natural environment.”
Enjoy the enchanting sounds of jaguar meows below and share this uplifting discovery with your friends!
