A jaguar in Brazil has set a new swimming record, covering an astonishing distance of up to 1.54 miles (2.48 kilometers). This feat far surpasses the previously documented maximum swim for the species — about 650 feet (200 meters), according to researchers.
Jaguars (Panthera onca) are strong swimmers and often take to the water in their native Central and South American habitats, which are crisscrossed by rivers and wetlands. They regularly dive in to ambush prey such as caimans, turtles, and fish, but these swims are usually short.
In a study posted September 10 on the preprint server bioRxiv (not yet peer-reviewed), scientists described a male jaguar traveling much farther than expected. First photographed by camera traps in May 2020 near Brazil’s Serra da Mesa Hydroelectric Dam in Goiás state, the animal later appeared on a small island in the reservoir four years later, in August 2024. By analyzing the distinctive rosette patterns on its coat, researchers confirmed it was the same individual.
Measurements revealed two possible routes. The jaguar could have crossed in two stages — first swimming about 0.66 miles (1.07 km) to a small islet, then another 0.79 miles (1.27 km) to the island. If it swam directly, however, the crossing would have been a continuous 1.54 miles, setting a new benchmark for the species. Either way, the journey shattered known records.
Why the jaguar made the crossing remains uncertain. Lead author Leandro Silveira of the Jaguar Conservation Fund suggested the swim was more likely linked to exploration, territory, or mating opportunities rather than food scarcity. “We usually expect jaguars to choose shorter, safer crossings, so this behavior was unexpected,” Silveira said.
Still, some experts believe long-distance swims may be more common than previously documented. “Most jaguars live in the Amazon basin, where rivers often span more than 10 kilometers,” noted Fernando Tortato of the conservation group Panthera, who was not involved in the study. “For jaguars, rivers are not barriers.”
Tortato added that the cat may have been searching for capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), a preferred prey species often found along the shores of artificial lakes.