| Jaguar In ancient temples your graceful form once walked . . . silently Drifting in and out of shadows like a vaprous mist of focused intensity your emerald eyes penetrating the darkness . . . unflinchingly. Vines now weave and constrict the crumbling stones of sacred pyramids metaphors for the tangled jungle of the human mind whose life has been misspent in the shattering darkness of ill intent In what echoing halls of the Dreamtime do you still walk, vigilant observer for ~He who came from the stars?~ Do you still prowl the dusty corridors of our fears, offering those willing to face themselves, in wrenching pain and flowing tears your guidance and protection across the theshold into light? Guide us, graceful spirit, to a new day when war is no longer a part of our "human" way. Remind us that the greatest victory comes from rising above the chains of our hate and greed, to stand free in love. And in that moment, your graceful form by our side, we may know the joy of the reunion the changing of the tide . . . When the Ancestors return from the stars . . . <<The largest cat of the Americas, the jaguar is a formidable beast. The Yanomami Indians call it the "Eater of Souls", due to the belief that it consumes the spirits of the dead.>> |
 |
 |
 |
| Jaguars can live for 11 years in the wild and 20 in captivity. Can be distinguished from the leopard by irregular shapes within the larger rosette markingd, a larger and stockier head and body and a shorter tail. Melanistic or black jaguars are known as panthers (this name also applies to black leopards and black cougars). Jaguar coloration and size depends on habitat type. Darker individuals are found in the denser forests, where their dark coloration benefits camouflage. Larger jaguars are found in open plains which may relate to larger prey items being found here Typically forest dwellers, but also inhabit dry woodland and grassland. They prefer areas close to water. Wide range of prey, including domestic livestock, deer, peccaries, tapirs, reptiles, fish and monkeys. Jaguars tend to hunt between dawn and dusk. They kill prey by piercing the skull with their canines. The least studied of all big cats most information has been gleaned from captive animals. Solitary meeting only to mate. Males travel more than females. Like tigers, Jaguars are fond of water. Some NA stories have the jaguar using its tail to fish..the tip was the lure that tempted the fish to come with its grasp. Females give birth to 1-4 cubs after a gestation period of 91-111 days. Births peak during the rainy season (which varies according to location) when prey is most abundant. The cubs stay with their mother for a couple of years before leaving to find their own territory. Aztek gods .. ITZPAPALOTL .. Obsidian Butterfly. Beautiful demonic, armed with the claws of a jaguar. The female counterpart of Itzcoliuhqui. |