In the vast wetlands of the Pantanal, the ratio of caiman to jaguar is 2000 to one. In spite of this, only one in 20 hunting attempts are successful. Click to watch as I follow a magnificent female jaguar on relentless 24-hour hunt for her next meal.
Following a jaguar hunt
The Pantanal is the world's largest wetland. A UNESCO heritage site, it spans across Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. But it is in Brazil where the jaguar is top predator. Around 5,000 jaguars range across this 70,000 sq mile wilderness. The best way to explore this region is by boat, since its at the water's edge where the wealth of wildlife emerges from the dense vegetation to drink, hunt and bathe. Here the waters team with caiman. But although these animals are one of the jaguars' favourite meals, they are not easy to catch. On my second day in this extraordinary region, I spotted a magnificent jaguar who's attempts to catch a caiman I followed for the next 24 hours. This individual is known amongst the region's guides as Marcella. A two-year old female, she is easy to identify since she's missing the tip of her tail. She actually lost this to ferocious piranhas and as we watch her swimming, we notice her flinching at something in the water beneath. Apparently the wound at the tip of her tail has never healed, continuing to attract hungry piranhas whenever she lingers in the water.
Jaguars are strong swimmers
When we spot her, Marcella is on the hunt. We follow her as she patrols the banks before striking out across the water to try her luck on the other side of the river. Jaguars are powerful swimmers and it is quite something to see her her tackle the strong currents of this deep river. Looking for prey Marcella makes her way onto a log that hangs above the water, using this vantage point to look for prey. Often jaguars will drop directly into the water onto caiman, but in this instance there is nothing below and so she sets off again switching to the deep cover of the hyacinths growing along the river's edge. Unlike any other big cat I've followed, jaguars hunt both at night and in the soaring heat of the day, when they can take advantage of caiman basking in shallower waters.
Ambush tactics
Jaguars like to ambush their prey, but they are also opportunistic and when Marcella comes across a black collared hawk drinking at the water's edge, she's quick to pounce. But not quick enough. After eight hours without catching a think, Marcella re-crossed the river, passing right in front of a group of tour boats, where she spots a group of caiman - but these animals were too fast for her and after two more attempts she headed inland. We loop round to a new river channel and spot her scouring the water for a new opportunity. But here this jaguar comes under fire from a group of giant river otters - as a group these animals are a real threat to a jaguar and Marcella is forced to retreat. As the sun set on the first day of watching her, Marcella still hadn't caught a thing. The next day we spotted her early and she must have been hungry. Thankfully, it wasn't long before we saw her, finally, pounce and catch a caiman, dragging it back to the bank in her powerful jaws.
Jaguar safaris
I visited as a guest of Pantanal Safari Tours, whose guides knew the area like the back of their hands. My trip was timed towards the end of the dry season when the wildlife concentrates around the remaining water sources.
Travel like me
Find out how you can follow in my footsteps and book a similar trip to the Pantanal here.
