JAGUARS OF PANTANAL, BRAZIL

iPhone 6

Honestly, it was pretty hard work ! 14 days in the boat on the river, 12-13 hours continuously every day, 40 degrees warm in the shade and insane amounts of stinging and biting insects !!!

..... and it was all worth it !!

The  huge Brazilian wilderness Pantanal & Mato Grosso has probably the densest jaguar population in the world, and not only the densest : the jaguars of Pantanal grow to be almost the double size of the ones in the Amazon with males up to 140 - 150 kg. We had 18 sightings in 14 days with assumed 13 different individuals, some just a brief glance through the grass and some we watched for hours as they were hunting for caimans (crocs) or capybaras (flodsvin).

I have picked 20 pictures for this post. It was difficult. It could easily have been 20 others.

For the jaguar attack : see my previous post on www.tomdyring.com

Thanks to Fabritio Dorileo of Pantanal Safaris!
Also thanks to Arnfinn Johansen ( www.arnfinnjohansen.com ) for inspiration & great company !

Male jaguar on the river bank

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 720

Female jaguar resting in the shade

D5, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/1250, ISO 1800

Male jaguar "Pirata"

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 2200

Male jaguar "Holyfield"

D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/200, ISO 9000

Male jaguar "Holyfield"

D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/200, ISO 7200 

Male jaguar "Scarface"

D5, 200-400 4,0 / 220 mm, f/4,0, 1/800, ISO 7200 

Male jaguar "Scarface"

D5, 200-400 4,0 / 200 mm, f/5,6, 1/500, ISO 2000

Alice in Wonderland ? ... or just male jaguar "Pirata" swimming

D5, 200-400 4,0 / 200 mm, f/5,0, 1/500, ISO 720

Male jaguar "Holyfield" slipping into the water

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 640

Male jaguar "Scarface"

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 1100

Female jaguar

D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/800, ISO 2500 

Male jaguar "Pirata"

D5, 200-400 4,0 / 300 mm, 1/800, ISO 560 

Male jaguar "Pirata" hunting swimming capybara (flodsvin)

D5, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/800, ISO 1000  

Jaguar hunting capybara (flodsvin)

D5, 600 4,0, f/5,0, 1/800, ISO 2800

Male jaguar "Scarface" with caiman carcass

D5, 200-400 4,0, f/5,6, 1/500, ISO 2200

Male jaguar with caiman kill

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 450

Male jaguar "Pirata" swimming

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 450

Male jaguar "Pirata" climbing the riverbed

D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 560

Females with cubs usually stay hidden and are not seen. These two cubs rest safely in the shade knowing that mom is just around the corner

D5, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/1600, ISO 1600