The apex predator status of the jaguar within the Amazon rainforest ecosystem suggests limited natural threats. However, instances of predation or fatal conflict involving these large cats are not entirely absent. Juvenile jaguars are most vulnerable.
While adult jaguars generally sit atop the food chain, threats exist in the form of interspecies conflict and intraspecies aggression. Competition for resources, especially territory and mates, can lead to violent encounters with other large predators. Furthermore, larger, more experienced jaguars may prey upon smaller, weaker individuals. Historically, human activity, including hunting and habitat destruction, has significantly impacted jaguar populations, representing a substantial, if indirect, mortality factor.