This is a post related to our Pantanal Trip.
We were up at 4:15am this morning to get ready for our first river safari in search of Jaguars. We got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Along the way we came across a Capybara. They are very tame and not scared of people. We would walk by them numerous times throughout our stay.
We noticed that it was pretty cold out this morning, maybe 62 degrees or so. Apparently we timed our trip to coincide with a cold front that moved in. Temperatures are typically around 102 degrees each day at this time of year, but we would be around 70 or so for our stay. We failed to pack sufficiently for this, and would pay the price for it.
The time is 5:30am and was time to make our way to the dock. We grabbed our gear, met Marcos outside our room, and headed down to meet up with our boat driver for the day. We were provided our life vest and given some basic instructions.
Once on board, the boat pulled out and quickly picked up speed. Remember when I said we would pay the price. The wind chill was intense! These boats are pretty fast which helps them rapidly get to the Jaguar sightings. Relief from the cold wasn’t far away though as not even ten minutes into the ride, we slowed down to enter a small channel. Seconds later Marcos yelled “There, Jaguar!”. Straight ahead of us, there was a Jaguar in the river!
The light was low as the sun had barely started to rise, but we could see his head moving through the water. As we approached, he exited the other side, dripping wet from the crossing. I was not very confident that the photos I was able to quickly take would turn out very good. The light was so low and we were in a moving boat. The only advantage is the Sony 400mm f/2.8 lens is the best lens there is for low light wildlife action. When I finally had time to review the photos, I was extremely happy with the results, considering the conditions.
Once the Jaguar moved out of sight, we exited the channel and continued down the main river. We traveled down the river at a moderate pace, scanning the river banks. Marcos is familiar with the cats territory and knows what to look for. The boat also has a radio to communicate with the many other boats which are also looking for Jaguars. As we searched, a radio call came across in Portuguese. We didn’t understand it, but based on the drivers actions, we had an idea. The driver quickly turned the boat and went max throttle. Marcos told us a Jaguar has been spotted 5 minutes from us. The boat was traveling so fast we had to close our eyes due to the wind. I noticed the boat driver wearing clear safety glasses which would have been great to have.
The boat sped around the turns of the river and eventually came upon several boats floating motionless near the bank.
We moved in closer and we could see another Jaguar laying on the bank. More and more boats arrived, making a floating city on the river. We thought it would be pure chaos, but it was actually very respectful and organized. There are some written (and unwritten) rules most boats follow.
- Do not get closer than 30 meters to the Jaguars (not always possible depending on the river width).
- Do not stand up if you are in the front line of boats
- Do not have the roof canvas up on the boat, as it obstructs the view for others.
Our boat was positioned perfectly to observe the female Jaguar named Marcela laying on the edge of the bank. Marcos explained that most of the Jaguars in the area are named. Their spotted pattern is like a fingerprint and they begin to recognize them. If someone finds a new Jaguar, they get to name it. Marcos has named several Jaguars throughout his time in the Pantanal.
Marcela would occasionally pick her head up to look around or yawn which provided a good variety of photographs.
After 20 minutes or so, she decided to go on the move. All the boats quickly pulled anchor and started to follow her. The driver would constantly be thrusting forward and reverse to keep pace with the Jaguar. In addition, he had to concentrate on not hitting the other boats that were inches apart from us.
Marcela made her way down to the rivers edge and explored her environment. Normally, caiman would be out on the beach, but due to the cool weather, most stayed in the water. We would not get to see her hunt on this trip. Eventually Marcela climbed back over the bank and out of view. The boats dispersed in search on the next sighting. The next sighting would be amazing!
After leaving Marcela, we would make our way into a back channel that was teeming with wildlife such as hawks, caiman, and capybara. The Pantanal is a birder’s paradise, which was both great and bad for me. There were so many different species here to photograph, but most of the time we would pass them by since the main goal was to find Jaguars. We were able to stop from time to time, or when I asked about a specific bird to photograph. I will detail some of them in a separate post.
We were just about to exit the back channel when a Jaguar emerged from the dense grasses. I believe Marcos said this one was named Patricia. Patricia moved through the dense grasses providing a beautiful setting for photographs.
Patricia moved closer and closer to the waters edge and I noticed the boats were forming up in a much different way than before. There were five boats next to us and then a big gap in front of us to the rest of the fleet. And then it happened! Patricia disappeared from sight and moments later emerged from the grasses swimming in the water.
She would be crossing the river, which the experienced boat drivers and guides recognized. They left her ample room to feel comfortable in the crossing. She crossed directly between all of the boats, providing a neat perspective.
She emerged on the other side, and continued to move down the channel, sometimes walking and sometimes swimming. At times all you could see were the tall grasses being pushed down as she moved through them.
As she disappeared over a hillside, we started to make our way back to the lodge. We got back to the dock around noon and headed straight to lunch. After lunch, while I was in the room charging batteries and copying memory cards, my wife came rushing in. She said Marcos wants us to come quickly to see something before it’s too late. The next post will reveal what we went to see.