Jaguar, Panthera onca, El Jaguar (Spanish), Balam (Mayan), Onça (Brazilian Portuguese)
ROILING IN RIVER
Cat swims silently near shoreline
Caiman coming toward cat
Two bounding leaps
ATTACK!
Jaguar swims silently near shoreline
Jaguar leaps toward swimming caiman
Skull piercing
Rodeo riding
Breath holding
Rolling and roiling
Jaguar bites neck and skull of caiman
Jaguar pierces skull with canines and then attacks spinal cord
Jaguar rides caiman
Jaguar holds breath
Rolling and roiling
Vines entangling
Throat grabbing
Breath losing
Surrender to death
Vines entangle prey of jaguar
Caiman throat grabbed by jaguar to asphyxiate prey
Caiman surrrenders to death
Cat entangling
Blood licking
Cat carrying
Breath heaving
Vines continue to hold cat and caiman
Jaguar licks blood. Left canine exposed from prior lip injury.
Jaguar carries caiman until it finds a suitable place to drag the carcass up the river bank
Prey hoisting
Straddle dragging
Uphill pulling
Prey hiding
Jaguar catches its breath before hoisting caiman uphill
Jaguar straddles its prey
Jaguar struggles to pull prey uphill
Jaguar hides caiman in vegetation to feed on carcass
Predator Power
Strength
Skill
Survival
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Geoff Jaguar
Geoff Jaguar, now an 11 year old male, became habituated to boats on various rivers in the Amazon basin of the Pantanal as a cub due to his habituated mother. Easily recognizable because of an upper left lip injury, Geoff can be seen in a variety of youtube videos catching or attempting to catch prey.
This jaguar kill, death, and drag took less than 11 minutes. Because those overhanging vines hindered the cat from quickly hiding its prey in thick vegetation, as jaguars typically do, all of us in nearby boats had the privilege of time to observe.
Two observations that surprised me were how long the jaguar could hold its breath underwater during the fight. I could see parts of both species above the surface, but not the jaguar head for what seemed like ages. The second observation showed the amazing strength to hoist the carcass up a steep embankment then to drag the carcass up the hill with only the right side of its mouth!
Jaguars have the strongest bite of any cat and many references state it kills with one bite at the base of the neck. But after searching many articles, youtube videos, and my on-site observation, it may also use asphyxiation.
According to our fantastic Brazilian guide, Paulo Boute, who’s led tours for 35 years in Brazil, this attack was the first instance of a caiman kill in the river for both species. Spectacular!
GO OUTDOORS TO RECEIVE NATURE’S GIFTS AND COME BACK NEXT MONTH FOR PART THREE
LINK TO PART ONE:
BACKYARD BIRDING IN MERIDA, YUCATAN AND BEYOND – MY JAGUAR JOURNEY, PART 1 OF 3
DISCLAIMER: References do not agree on details about these species.
Panthera Onça
http://www.arkive.org/jaguar/panthera-onca/video-12.html
Cherie Pittillo, “nature inspired,” photographer and author, explores nature everywhere she goes. She’s identified 56 bird species in her Merida, Yucatan backyard view. Her monthly column features anecdotes about birding in Merida, Yucatan and also wildlife beyond the Yucatan. Contact: [email protected] All rights reserved, ©Cherie Pittillo
