Within the huge wetlands of the Pantanal, the ratio of caiman to jaguar is 2000 to 1. Despite this, just one in 20 searching makes an attempt are profitable. Click on to look at as I observe a powerful feminine jaguar on relentless 24-hour hunt for her subsequent meal.
Following a jaguar hunt
The Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland. A UNESCO heritage website, it spans throughout Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. However it’s in Brazil the place the jaguar is high predator. Round 5,000 jaguars vary throughout this 70,000 sq mile wilderness. The easiest way to discover this area is by boat, since its on the water’s edge the place the wealth of wildlife emerges from the dense vegetation to drink, hunt and bathe. Right here the waters crew with caiman. However though these animals are one of many jaguars’ favorite meals, they aren’t simple to catch. On my second day on this extraordinary area, I noticed a powerful jaguar who’s makes an attempt to catch a caiman I adopted for the subsequent 24 hours. This particular person is understood amongst the area’s guides as Marcella. A two-year previous feminine, she is straightforward to determine since she’s lacking the tip of her tail. She truly misplaced this to ferocious piranhas and as we watch her swimming, we discover her flinching at one thing within the water beneath. Apparently the wound on the tip of her tail has by no means healed, persevering with to draw hungry piranhas every time she lingers within the water.
Jaguars are robust swimmers
Once we spot her, Marcella is on the hunt. We observe her as she patrols the banks earlier than hanging out throughout the water to attempt her luck on the opposite facet of the river. Jaguars are highly effective swimmers and it’s fairly one thing to see her her sort out the robust currents of this deep river. In search of prey Marcella makes her method onto a log that hangs above the water, utilizing this vantage level to search for prey. Usually jaguars will drop instantly into the water onto caiman, however on this occasion there may be nothing under and so she units off once more switching to the deep cowl of the hyacinths rising alongside the river’s edge. In contrast to every other huge cat I’ve adopted, jaguars hunt each at evening and within the hovering warmth of the day, after they can reap the benefits of caiman basking in shallower waters.
Ambush techniques
Jaguars wish to ambush their prey, however they’re additionally opportunistic and when Marcella comes throughout a black collared hawk consuming on the water’s edge, she’s fast to pounce. However not fast sufficient. After eight hours with out catching a assume, Marcella re-crossed the river, passing proper in entrance of a bunch of tour boats, the place she spots a bunch of caiman – however these animals had been too quick for her and after two extra makes an attempt she headed inland. We loop spherical to a brand new river channel and spot her scouring the water for a brand new alternative. However right here this jaguar comes beneath fireplace from a bunch of large river otters – as a bunch these animals are an actual menace to a jaguar and Marcella is pressured to retreat. Because the solar set on the primary day of watching her, Marcella nonetheless hadn’t caught a factor. The subsequent day we noticed her early and she or he should have been hungry. Fortunately, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than we noticed her, lastly, pounce and catch a caiman, dragging it again to the financial institution in her highly effective jaws.
Jaguar safaris
I visited as a visitor of Pantanal Safari Excursions, whose guides knew the realm just like the again of their arms. My journey was timed in the direction of the top of the dry season when the wildlife concentrates across the remaining water sources.
