Jaguar

Known as otorongo in Peru, derived from the Quechua word uturunku, the jaguar is the biggest spotted cat in the Americas and probably the hardest animal to spot in the rainforest. They are solitary and keen hunters, feeding chiefly on capybaras, deer and tapirs—their favorite—but also fish, caimans, and smaller mammals.

Jaguars are mostly spotted at night. But during the months of May and June, 30 percent of Manu [1] visitors report seeing these felines stretching out on a river log under the morning sun. Most jaguars will flee quickly from human presence once spotted.

Considered a deity in pre-Hispanic cultures such as Chavín or Cupisnique, the jaguar has been overhunted by centuries for its fur and is listed as endangered.