In remote northern Guyana, Three-year-old Jasmine Joseph was viciously and brutally attacked when she was with her mother on the banks of the Mazaruni River. Her mother was washing clothes when, suddenly, Jasmine was attacked and dragged into the forest by a jaguar that had clamped its massive jaws around her head. Rarely does someone live through an attack like this, and the craziest part–this wasn’t the first time she had been mauled.
Latin America is home to one of the most cunning apex predators of all time, the Jaguar. Jaguars are extremely intelligent, silent, and violent, which makes for a vicious predator that lurks throughout the jungle. For many residents of Latin America, the threat of the Jaguar is well-known, thus many try and stay as far away from them as possible. But sometimes, that’s easier said than done.
The jaguar has the strongest bite force of any big cat in the world, with over twice the power of an African lion. The reason? Their prey. Jaguars mostly eat armadillos, giant anacondas, and in some cases, even bears. They are able to take down such large prey because of their ability to crush a skull with just one bite, as well as being equipped with some of the largest feline claws ever recorded.
Jaguars can reach an astonishing 250lbs and about six feet long, not including their tails. These large beasts got their name from the Native American word yaguar, which means “he who kills with one leap.” Throughout history, these beasts have been known for their vicious killing power and it’s a rare occasion when someone survives an attack because of the brute force the jaguar brings to the fight.
However, when Jasmine was attacked this time around, she was putting up a fight.
