I have found a great post on Panthera’s blog. For those who do not know, Panthera is an excellent NGO dedicated to protecting the world’s wild cats and their habitats. The article is written by Stephanny Arroyo Arce, a Panthera biologist working in Costa Rica, and it details what you should do if you meet a wild jaguar.
I am not going to go into much detail, because I want you to read the original post. But most of the suggestions are similar to what is recommended for other large predator encounters: avoid sudden movements, pick up small children without bending over, slowly raise your arms to look big, back away slowly, and never turn your back on the animal or run away. There is also a set of recommendations for what to do if you meet a jaguar while you are in a boat, since jaguars are excellent swimmers.
There is much more information in Stephanny Arroyo Arce’s original article, along with some truly wonderful illustrations. I highly recommend you click here to check it out!
Lastly, here is an incredible video from the WWF of a rare black jaguar swimming across the Tapajós River (Rio Tapajós in Portuguese) in Brazil. Now you have proof that encountering jaguars in the water is not unheard of!
The Jaguar 
I am simply petrified of wild animals and would faint and be devoured. Knowledge like what you’ve provided is helpful and offer other alternatives. Again, thanks Josh!
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Haha, I don’t know how a jaguar would react if you fainted in front of it! It might be severely confused at first!
I’m glad you found these tips helpful.There is more information in the original post!
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Lol, we both will find out. I am hoping it would have mercy on me :)
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While in Guatemala last year at the city ruins of ancient Tikal (a huge site with paths and roads through the jungle), I was actually hoping to catch a glimpse of a jaguar. Probably not a very safe event to wish for, in retrospect…
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Hahaha, it probably would’ve been fine! Of all the big cats jaguars are by far the least dangerous to humans. There is only one fatal, confirmed, and unprovoked attack I know of; which many researchers suspect was linked to baiting jaguars for tourism. As soon as you start giving a wild animal food you change its behavior, and in the case of powerful creatures like jaguars that can be very bad.
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Será difícil que me encuentre uno, pero ahora sé qué hacer. Sobre todo, no echarme al agua, porque nadan mejor que yo!! Muchas gracias por compartir. El original también me ha gustado ;)
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¡Me hace muchísimo feliz que tú habías leído el original! Sí, jaguares son mejor nadadores que muchos humanos, ¡y no reciben clases de natación! Aunque si viviéramos en un lugar que era inundado para la mitad del año, nosotros seríamos mejor nadadores también ;)
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Los artículos que recomiendas nunca defraudan.
Tal vez tengas razón y el hábitat o las inundaciones influyen, pero creo pocos nadadores profesionales son de países tropicales. Ahí tenemos un tema de estudio ;)
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Sí, sería interesante ver si los habilidades de natación de jaguares desarrollaron para ayudarlos en sus hábitats mojados. Aunque no tengo ninguna idea cómo hacer eso!
Y sobre los nadadores profesionales, con humanos hay muchos factores que podrían ser influyentes. Así actualmente vivir en los países más mojados no nos haría mejor nadadores. Hay tanto pensar en, y es después de mi hora de acostarse! Largo después…
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Here is what I am going to do if I encounter a wild jaguar, which since I can’t go anywhere now, is even more unlikely. I will stand still, back up slowly, and take photos. After this, I will fall to my knees, thanking the God of all jaguars for honoring me with this.
Stay well Josh.
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Haha, please don’t fall to your knees while the jaguar’s still there! Making yourself look like a much smaller animal probably isn’t a good idea :P
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