Leopard, jaguar, puma - they're all names for the graceful and ferocious panther. In Asia and Africa it's the leopard, in North America it's puma, and in South America it's known as the jaguar. Wherever this feline is found, it's revered for its strength, valour and power. Also for its maternal gentleness. As a tattoo motif, the panther makes a powerful statement about the person who chooses it, for it is a symbol of courage, strength and personal leadership.
This is the largest and most ferocious cat of the Americas, pound for pound more fierce and dangerous than: the tiger, the lion or the leopard. The panther is at the pinnacle of the food chain in the Americas. The panther / jaguar is fiercely independent and cunning. It is the only large cat that routinely hunts in the water.
The Panther figures prominently in the mythology of most cultures in South and Central America. It occurs in the art and religion of all pre-Colombian American civilizations and was considered a familiar and a companion of Shamans among the Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs . It is an extraordinarily ancient and powerful totem animal and was a symbol of the nobility and the authority of royal families. The fur, claws and teeth of the jaguar were often used to adorn and decorate the costumes and finery of the highest ranking individuals.
Today, the Florida Panther is seriously endangered. Its traditional habitat has been so diminished that there remain but 70 of the animals left to continue the species.
See also: Animal Tattoo Index and Cougar Tattoos Index.
