These impressive predators prefer to live alone and prefer to hunt at night .
Often confused with their cousin , the leopard , their spots – called “ rosettes ”– are larger with a dot in the center . This pattern helps camouflage them in tall grass and bushes so they can easily hunt .
Unlike others of their kind , Jaguars are one of the few big cats that love water . They are excellent swimmers , hunting fish , turtle and caiman ( Latin American crocodile ) species in addition to their diet of land mammals .
As apex predators , they help control other species populations to maintain a healthy ecosystem .