Study documents first-known instance of male jaguars forming coalitions

‘The secret life of jaguars is more complex than previously thought’

The first known instance of male jaguars coordinating with each other to secure prey has been documented by researchers, contradicting long-held notions of the felines as a solitary species.

The study, published recently in the journal Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, found that unrelated male jaguars may sometimes form “multi-year alliances” in regions with high densities of prey and female jaguars.

The findings suggest that these cats – the largest in the Western hemisphere that are found in countries ranging from Mexico to Argentina – are more social than previously thought.