A few pictures from an older trip in Brazil.

A few jaguar photos I added to YLoveBigCats.

Just as a reminder, Pantanal jaguars are the biggest in the world because they are so well-fed from the caiman bonanza that they can kill everywhere. And they are the most accessible (for photographers and tourists alike) for the same reasons.

This is certainly the location where it is easier to find jaguars, these large felines from South America. If you want to see these very discreet animals, you’d better contact the Jaguar Research Center or one of the travel agents that can send you there (like Objectif Nature, my preferred French travel agent for photo-nature trips).

I have to admit that the jaguar being very shy and despite the high concentration of these big cats in Pantanal, it is somewhat difficult to find them: In October 2007, our photo group did not see it once in three days (even if the trackers and a boat of the supporting organisation saw it nearly every day).

All in all, it’s not so desperate even for a photographer like me who was really willing to catch a few fur spots on the digital sensor of my camera. Along with the flagship feline of the South American continent, this zone is a marvellous water paradise, with the Cuiaba, wide Brazilian river, and many calm locations to observe birds and other animals.

So, I heartily recommend the Jaguar Research Center and I will probably return to JRC -with the hope of finally meeting some free jaguars. And their web site is very nice.

Click on the thumbnail images to enlarge them

The Southern crested caracara is probably the most common falcon in Pantanal and Mato Grosso (Brazil). It feeds on nearly anything and is commonly seen on carrion (like below) and road kill. This adaptability and its powerful beak allows it to catch very different preys.

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Southern Crested-Caracara (Caracara cheriway, Caracara huppé). Pantanal, Brazil, 2007.