Jaguars are the largest wild cats in the Americas and an integral part of the ecosystem. As apex predators, they regulate prey populations and help maintain ecological balance. They also contribute to forest regeneration by dispersing seeds.

International Jaguar Day is celebrated annually on November 25 to raise awareness about the threats jaguars face and to promote conservation initiatives worldwide.

Jaguar Day highlights the species as an ‘umbrella species’ for biodiversity and a cultural icon across Central and South America. Jaguars symbolize power, authority, and royalty, and acting as a spiritual guardian in many Indigenous and pre-Columbian cultures. The day also underscores the need to protect jaguar habitats and corridors amid threats like poaching, human–wildlife conflict, and rapid habitat loss.

The goals of International Jaguar Day include safeguarding jaguar habitats, encouraging coexistence with local communities, and supporting conservation programmes. The day advocates urgent action against deforestation, habitat fragmentation and illegal wildlife trafficking.

There are no wild jaguars in India as they are native to the Americas, with populations found from Mexico through Central America and into South America, especially the Amazon Basin. In India, the big cats native to the wild are tigers, leopards, lions, snow leopards and clouded leopards.