The Jaguar and The Leopard

0:38 Well, hi, wild and kind kids. Who's ready for a leap off?

0:42 Me.

0:43 All right, we are gonna see how high we can jump in the air. And if you're in your car seat, just save those jumps for when you're safely on the ground. All right, ready? Three, two, one, leap. Whoa. Okay, we are moving furniture out of the way, y'all. All right, guys, get ready. We're gonna try it again.

1:04 Everybody ready? I think you've got a bigger jump in you. Three, two, one, leap! Oh my gosh. I think we got at least three feet. That was impressive. Four feet. Oh, four feet. Okay. One more. Three, two, one, leap. Whoa. That was impressive. But I'm sorry, friends. Today's animal has you beat. Some of these animals can leap as high as ten feet straight into the air from a standing position.

1:42 Let's get learning. I'm Carrie, and I grew up on a zoo.

1:49 I'm Lincoln. I'm Eliza. And we're the wild about animals.

1:55 Welcome to the Wild Cop Kids Podcast. Hey Lincoln and Eliza. Hi, Mom. We have a very special animal today. Are you ready to guess it in three?

2:11 Yes. Yes.

2:12 Alright, clue number one. I'm a powerful predator with sharp claws and very strong jaws. I can roar to make myself heard. My beautiful coat is covered in spots called rosettes. Alright, Lincoln and Eliza, what do you think today's animal is?

2:34 Leopard! Jaguar.

2:37 Oh, we have a disagreement, y'all. And you know what? You are both right.

2:44 No art.

2:45 Okay, so I may have tricked you a little when I said today's animal. Because today is a very special double episode of Wild and Kind Kids. Beaumont sent us this.

3:08 Hi, Lincoln and Lisa. Um, I have a question for you. What makes a leopard different from a jaguar? Like, I mean, they're kind of the same thing. Um uh, and what do you know about leopards?

3:28 And then Catalina from Florida sent us this.

3:32 I went and I thought Alan told them about jaguars and um how don't swim and catch Cam and Alligator spy.

3:40 Henderson from Panama City, Florida, and our listener Henry also wanted to learn about jaguars. Henry told us they are really special and we couldn't agree more.

3:52 Hi, Boma and Catalina. Hi Henderson, hi Henry.

3:57 And after we got all those requests, we ran to look up some pictures of leopards and jaguars. And here's the thing, wild and kind kids. They look very similar. So we're tackling them together. Lincoln and Eliza, are leopards and jaguars the same?

4:15 No, Mom, they live in totally different places.

4:18 Okay, you are right. Jaguars live in the Americas, including the thick green rainforests of Central and South America, where they are surrounded by giant trees and muddy rivers. And here is something wild about jaguars. They are excellent swimmers, y'all. Now, your cat at home may not like the water, but that is not true for jaguars.

4:46 They paddle through rivers, they put their heads underwater, and they even hunt in the water. They can catch fish, turtles, and sometimes they even go after caimans. Caimans are cousins of alligators. Y'all, this is a cat that hunts alligator cousins. Leopards, on the other hand, live across parts of Africa and Asia.

5:13 You might find a leopard creeping through tall grass on the savannah or resting high up in a tree in a forest. Because leopards are amazing climbers. They use their powerful legs and sharp claws to scramble up trees. Sometimes they even drag their dinner up into the branches, which really comes in handy if you're trying to keep your dinner from a hyena.

5:41 But imagine climbing a tree while carrying something that weighs as much as you do. But here's a little twist. Jaguars can climb trees too. And leopards can swim. It's just that jaguars are especially famous for hunting around water. And leopards are especially famous for their tree climbing skills. Different continents, but still basically the same cat, right?

6:11 Nope. They're built differently. Jaguars are built for power. Leopards are built for agility.

6:18 Oh, I like that distinction. Yes, jaguars are usually bigger and stockier than leopards. A big male jaguar can weigh more than 200 pounds. That's like three grown-up golden retrievers. They have thick muscular bodies, powerful legs, and some of the strongest jaws of any big cat. And those jaws are incredible.

6:45 They can bite through the hard shell of a turtle or even pierce through the skull of some of the animals that it hunts. And this is how they hunt those caimans we mentioned. And I know Catalina is especially curious about this. Jaguars can wait on the shore, hiding in grasses until they see a caiman.

7:09 And then they have this explosive leap into the water where they bite down really quickly and really powerfully on the caim's head before it even knows what hit them. And then it can drag it onto shore. Because y'all, jaguars have the strongest bite in proportion to their body of any big cat. Now, leopards are no weaklings.

7:33 They're incredibly strong too, but they're generally lighter and more slender with long tails that help them balance. Beaumont asked us how fast leopards can run. They aren't distance runners, but they can run faster than 35 miles per hour in a burst. But really, they are the acrobats of the big cat world.

7:57 They can leap 20 feet forward or up to 10 feet straight up in the air. And remember how they drag their dinner into the branches? Well, it's their combination of strength, balance, and climbing that helps them do that. So we've got a powerhouse, the jaguar, and an acrobat, the leopard. Two different body designs that help them survive in the wild.

8:25 Okay, so I'm starting to see some differences, but what about how they sound?

8:31 They both have a really big voar that makes it sound like somebody sawing wood.

8:37 Wait, sawing wood? Y'all, I think we are gonna need to hear this for ourselves. First, let's listen to a jaguar. Okay, that is pretty fierce. If I heard that in the wild, I might get a little nervous. Now, let's listen to a leopard. Oh my goodness. That rough, scratchy sound. Yeah, it really does kind of sound like sawing wood going back and forth.

9:19 Now, these calls have a very important purpose. They help big cats communicate with each other, even when they're far apart or hiding in the trees. Now I wonder if we can make these sounds. All right, well and kind listeners, give us your best leopard. Nice. All right, how about your best jaguar? Amazing.

10:01 But I think we better leave the real roaring to the big cats. Now we've talked about where they live, we've talked about some of their behaviors, but y'all, they really do look identical, right?

10:13 If you look closely, their spots are actually different. The jaguar has spots inside its spots. What? Spots inside of spots?

10:24 Okay, you're right. Both jaguars and leopards have these beautiful markings called rosettes. They're these dark, ring-shaped marks that look a little bit like flowers. But jaguar rosettes are often bigger, with little black dots inside some of them. Spots inside of spots! Leopards, on the other hand, have smaller rosettes that are packed more closely together, and they generally don't have those little black dots.

10:52 But here's the cool part. Those spots are not just for looking fabulous, they are camouflage. Imagine sunlight shining through the leaves of a forest. It creates little patches of light and shadows all over the ground. And those rosettes help break up the outline of a big cat's body, making it harder for other animals to spot them.

11:17 Alright, y'all, I no longer believe they are the same cat. But I do believe it's time to meet one up close in our story of the day. Deep in the Amazon rainforest, where towering trees stretched toward the sky and winding rivers sparkled beneath the sun. There lived a young jaguar named Reese. Reese lived with his mom and his siblings, Catalina and Leighton.

11:55 His siblings had golden coats covered in beautiful black rosettes. His mom had a golden coat covered in beautiful black rosettes. And so it stood to reason that Reese must also have a golden coat covered in beautiful black rosettes. Right? Well the truth was Reese had never really stopped to check. He was much too busy just being a jaguar.

12:27 There were trees to climb, butterflies to chase, siblings to wrestle, and rivers to race across. And a river is exactly where Reese found himself one bright morning chasing a brilliant blue butterfly as it darted over roots and under branches. Reese leapt over a fallen log. He ducked beneath a dangling vine.

12:55 He stretched his paws toward the butterfly as it fluttered just out of reach. And then, with a quick flap of its wings, the butterfly rose high into the sky and disappeared. Reese decided he could use a break anyway. He settled down beside the river where the water was so still and so smooth it looked like a mirror.

13:24 Now normally, Reese would have taken a quick drink and dashed off to his next adventure. But today, for some reason, he paused. He leaned a little closer to the water, and he looked. And then he looked again. And then what? Staring back at Reese was his own reflection. But something was terribly wrong.

13:55 My spots, they're gone.

13:58 High in a tree above, a blue and gold macaw named Coco nearly dropped her breakfast at the noise. She peered down from her branch to see a young cat running back and forth along the riverbank, wailing about his missing spots.

14:16 So you had spots? she asked. Of course I had spots.

14:22 I'm a jaguar. Coco looked at this jaguar, then at his reflection, then back at the jaguar. She wasn't entirely convinced he had looked any different an hour before. But Reese had another idea. What if what if he wasn't actually a jaguar? Maybe I'm a leopard. Coco tilted her head. Because leopards had spots too.

14:50 Reese was stunned. Well at least leopards couldn't swim. Except Coco explained that leopards were actually pretty good swimmers. Well, they certainly couldn't climb trees, Reese thought. Except, as Coco pointed out, leopards were actually excellent climbers. Reese threw his paws into the air.

15:12 Why is this so confusing?

15:15 And besides, Coco pointed out, leopards didn't actually live in the rainforest. And they definitely had spots. Oh. Reese looked back at his own reflection.

15:29 So where are my spots?

15:31 Coco took another bite of fruit.

15:34 They must have fallen off.

15:36 Coco stared at him for a long moment. And then she sighed.

15:43 Well, I suppose we better find them.

15:46 And just like that, the great spot hunt was on. First, they decided to retrace Reese's steps. He'd climbed a tree yesterday. Maybe his spots had just gotten caught on the branches. So they made their way to a towering tree and they checked. They checked behind leaves, inside a branch. They even checked beneath a very sleepy sloth.

16:15 They asked him whether he'd seen any spots. The sloth thought about it and thought about it and thought about it. It was predictably not a lot of fast thinking. He explained that he had seen some spots on a jaguar. Reese was thrilled. Until the sloth added that that jaguar had been yellow, and from the looks of it, Reese was black.

16:47 Reese groaned.

16:49 Well that wasn't helpful.

16:52 The sloth slowly opened one eye. I heard that.

17:01 Sorry.

17:03 Next, Reese searched the riverbank while Coco flew overhead. They looked around rocks, they looked around roots. They even asked a passing taper whether she'd seen any spots floating downstream. The taper hadn't. But she had seen a butterfly with spots on its wings. Reese froze. A butterfly? That butterfly stole my spots.

17:33 Before Coco could stop him, Reese took off through the rainforest.

17:38 Come back here with my spots. With my spots, with my spots.

17:43 Coco squawked from above, mimicking Reese's panicked voice. By the time they caught up with the butterfly, it was perched on a flower. Coco explained that this butterfly had always had spots. They were part of the beautiful pattern on its wings. Reese was disappointed. Coco was exhausted, and the butterfly was probably wondering what all this fuss was about.

18:13 By now the sun was high in the sky. Reese and Coco had searched the trees, questioned a sloth, slowly, and chased a perfectly innocent butterfly. But they hadn't found a single spot. Reese sat down beside the river.

18:30 What if they're gone forever?

18:33 Coco looked at her new companion. She still wasn't entirely convinced that Reese had actually even lost his spots, but he certainly seemed upset about it. And then Coco had an idea. If they couldn't find his spots, they could just make him some new ones. First, they tried mud. Coco dipped her beak in a puddle and carefully dabbed a muddy circle on Reese's shoulder.

19:03 But unfortunately, it looked a lot less like a rosette and more like a giant blob. They tried crushed berries. Coco painted little circles all over his back. Unfortunately, the berries were bright purple. How do I look? Reese asked. Coco tilted her head.

19:25 Delicious. I think I'd like to go home.

19:30 And so Reese and Coco made their way back through the rainforest. When they reached Reese's home, Mama Jaguar was resting beneath a tree. She was surprised to see her son covered in mud and purple berries, accompanied by a rather frazzled looking parrot. Reese hung his head.

19:54 Mama, something terrible has happened.

19:57 Mama sat up. What is it, sweetheart?

20:01 I've lost my spots.

20:03 Mama blinked. Your spots?

20:06 All of them.

20:08 Coco fluttered down onto a low branch and explained their very long mourning. Mama looked at Reese's purple, muddy fur. I see. And then she smiled gently. Oh Reese, you haven't lost your spots. Reese looked up. I haven't? Of course not. Come with me. Mama led Reese and Coco out from beneath the shady trees and into a bright patch of sunlight.

20:41 Now, she said, look closely at your fur. Reese twisted his head. It kinda hurt, but he managed to look at his shoulder and at his back. His mama gently guided him to turn, so the sunlight shone across his coat. And there, beneath his beautiful black fur, he saw them. His spots. Dozens and dozens of beautiful black on black spots.

21:12 My spots Reese cried. They're back. Mama laughed. They never went anywhere, sweetheart. She gently explained. Reese's fur was just darker than his brothers and sisters. And because of that, his spots were dark too, and they were harder to see. But when the sunlight hit his coat just right, those beautiful rosettes appeared.

21:40 Reese looked at his dark fur. He wasn't sure why he'd never noticed it before. Then he looked at Mama's golden coat. And for a moment he wondered, why did he look so different from the rest of his family? Did that mean he was not quite a jaguar? Mama seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. You're a black jaguar, Reese, and you're every bit as much a jaguar as the rest of us.

22:13 She gently nuzzled his head. You don't have to look like everyone else to belong. Reese thought about it. He had powerful paws, strong jaws, and, as he'd recently discovered, a beautiful coat covered in rosettes. He was a jaguar, a black jaguar. He puffed out His chest, he lifted his chin, and then he turned to Coco with the biggest grin she had ever seen.

22:45 Well, Coco, I suppose that solves the mystery.

22:49 Coco stared at him.

22:51 Lisa, you mean to tell me that your spots were there the whole time?

22:58 Reese grinned.

23:00 Apparently.

23:02 Coco closed her eyes. She opened them and then closed them again.

23:09 Fine. But next time, we're looking for something that's actually missing.

23:15 Reese nodded.

23:17 Agreed.

23:19 And then Coco looked down.

23:21 Oh no.

23:23 Reese's ears perked up.

23:25 What? My breakfast! I left it by the Viva.

23:30 Reese's eyes lit up.

23:33 Something actually missing?

23:35 Coco stared at him.

23:38 Don't. We have a mystery to solve. Reese.

23:48 As always, friends, today's story has a real science connection. And this one makes it a triple wild and kind episode. Triple? Yeah. Stick with me. You see, Duke from Virginia and Harry from Seattle both wrote in asking us to learn about the Black Panther. Hi Duke. Hi Harry. And here's the surprise. A Black Panther isn't actually its own species.

24:23 When people say Black Panther, they're usually talking about a jaguar or a leopard with very dark fur. Remember how Reese looked different from his golden spotted family? Well, that really happens in nature. Scientists have a special word for this. Melanism. Melanism is when an animal has unusually dark coloring because of a pigment called melanin.

24:52 But here's my favorite part. Remember how Reese thought he had lost his spots? Well, black jaguars and leopards still have their spots. They still have those rosettes. They're just really hard to see against their dark fur. But when the sunlight hits them just right, you can see those beautiful markings hiding in plain sight.

25:14 It's like having secret spots. And scientists think those dark coats may even help some big cats hide in the shadows of thick forests. But remember this.

25:32 A black leopard is still a leopard.

25:35 They can even have golden-spotted brothers and sisters. We just sometimes call them black panthers. And maybe that's what I love most about Reese's story.

25:46 Just because you look different doesn't mean you're missing something.

25:49 Sometimes you just have to look a little closer to see what's been there all along.

25:57 Now it's time for your wild and kind mission.

26:02 Jaguars and leopards may live on opposite sides of the world, but they share one big challenge: staying safe as people build roads through their wild homes. Conservationists are working to protect wildlife corridors. That's kind of a big phrase, but it means safe pathways that help animals move between forests and other wild spaces.

26:26 But sometimes those pathways cross roads where cars and trucks travel. And that's where you come in, wild and kind kids. The next time you're riding in the car, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. Look for signs that animals might be nearby. You might even spot a special wildlife crossing sign. And when you do, remind your grown-up of our new wild and kind mission.

26:53 Eyes wide, slow your ride.

26:56 That means watching carefully for animals and slowing down when it's safe to do so. Whether it's a jaguar in the rainforest, a leopard in the grasslands, or a deer, which we often see in our own neighborhood, every animal deserves a safe way to get where it's going. So buckle up, keep your eyes wide, and remind your grown-ups to slow their ride in a wildlife area.

27:21 Remember, being kind to wildlife means sharing the road. Before we go, it's time for wild and kind trivia!

27:34 Last time we tried to stump you with a riddle. Let's take a listen.

27:39 I'm tiny and fluffy, with eyes big and bright. My furry skin stretches as I glide through the night. No wings or feathers, just a built-in cape to wear. In Japan's forest trees, I can soar through the air. What animal am I?

27:58 Did you get it? This one was about the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel. And y'all, you have to look up a picture. They are adorable. They are known for being able to glide up to 300 feet between trees, but they don't use wings. They actually can stretch out their arms and they have special skin that helps them turn into a glider.

28:25 Their tail even acts like a rudder and an air brake. So cool. Alright, let's try our next riddle.

28:33 I'm shaggy and furry with a tail that can grip. For Asian rainforests, I climb without a slip. But here's something strange that might make you stop. Some say that I smell like popcorn that's popped. What am I?

28:55 Debate it with your family and tune in next time to hear the answer.

28:59 See you then, long pine kids.

29:04 This podcast is produced by John, also known as Lincoln and Eliza's dad. If you're enjoying these adventures, please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Leave us a review and tell your friends. To find a coloring sheet for today's creature, explore more episodes, or request an animal for a future story, visit wildandkindkids.com.

29:32 You can also find us on Instagram at Wild and Kind Kids Pod. Thanks for exploring with us, friends. Until next time.

29:44 And your curiosity wild.