How fast can jaguars run?

Jaguars have been clocked at a top speed of 50 miles per hour. However, jaguar habitat is typically dense jungle unsuited for open running. Sometimes the big cats engage in ambush hunting by dropping down from trees, but they are fully capable of running down prey if they need to.

According to Big Cat Rescue, one of the favorite animals for jaguars to hunt is the peccary, a type of wild pig that lives throughout the Americas and is particularly noted for its speed, agility and fighting ability. The jaguar must sprint at high speeds to catch such swift and agile prey.