Jaguar Adaptations to Climate

I chose the jaguar, a key predator in tropical rainforests. As climate change affects its environment, the jaguar may adapt to survive in hotter, drier areas. Currently, jaguars use dense forest cover for camouflage and to hunt large prey. However, as rainforests turn into savannas with fewer trees, jaguars might need new adaptations. In the future, jaguars could develop thinner fur to stay cool and lighter colors to blend with grasslands. Their bodies may become slimmer, allowing them to run faster and cover more ground. With fewer large prey, jaguars may adapt to hunt smaller animals or scavenge more often. This illustration shows a present-day jaguar and how it might look in a changing habitat, emphasizing how species must adjust to survive climate change.