Jaguars recorded meowing in the wild for the first time

In a new study just published in journal Behaviour the researchers describe the first meow-like vocalizations recorded in jaguar females, captured through camera traps, in the Iguaçu National Park, Southeastern Brazil.

Involving experts at the University of Salford, UK, Atlantic Technological University, Ireland, WWF Brazil and researchers at the Iguaçu Jaguars’ Project the team gathered the unique sounds and images by setting up monitoring cameras in various spots across the park.

Recordings show females calling their cubs with meow like sounds and cubs meowing in return to locate their mother. The team recorded two separate females ‘meowing’. The sounds were sharp and brief. Due to its high pitch, short duration, and sequential pattern, the call is reminiscent of the meows typically produced by domestic cats.

This communication pattern surprised the research team and reinforces the complexity of maternal interactions among big cats. The findings suggest that jaguars may use meow vocalizations in mother-young communication. Many big cats such as lions and tigers are unable to meow due to the structure of their trachea and larynx.

Meowing has been observed in certain species of captive wild cats, typically characterized by distinct sound patterns and frequent repetition. Both males and females employ this behaviour for long-distance communication, serving as a territorial marker and a means to attract mates for reproduction.

Adult domestic cats rarely meow at each other, the behaviour is normally reserved for communicating with humans, something they learn from being kittens.

Dr Marina Duarte, Research Fellow at the University of Salford, said: “As far as we know this is the first time that jaguars have been recorded using this kind of communication, which we are incredibly excited about.

“This research really deepens our knowledge of how big cats can communicate. We think they are making these sounds to help locate their young but they could also be using them for reproductive purposes too, to find a mate perhaps. It does sound very cute to our ears!”.

“These results highlight the value of long-term monitoring efforts for this iconic Atlantic Forest species and show that there is still much to learn about how jaguars interact and communicate in their natural environment”, says Vania Foster, Head of Research of the Project Jaguars of Iguaçu.