Pounce! A jaguar springs into the water, emerging with a large jacaré in its jaws — a caiman, a large carnivorous reptile related to alligators and crocodiles. This sight is a common occurrence at Panthera’s Jofre Velho Conservation Ranch in the Brazilian Pantanal, where I work. Excited ecotourists flock from far and wide to the Pantanal each year to catch a glimpse of its wildlife and this natural wonder, bringing much-needed jobs and funds to this community, which helps support jaguar conservation.
But there are three critical questions to consider:
The answers have everything to do with ecology and evolution. Like a jaguar, let’s jump in together to solve these mysteries.
It might seem strange that jaguars hunt such a large, dangerous prey source like caimans so often, especially in the Pantanal. However, the explanation is really very simple: caimans are abundant in many of the ecosystems where jaguars live in South America. The spectacled caiman and jacaré caiman exist in large populations in South American swamplands (like the Llanos and the Pantanal) where jaguars roam. Their sheer numbers make them a convenient prey source for these wild cats, who are very comfortable in the water. While these animals may be more dangerous than other reptiles, small mammals or birds, they exist in high quantities, providing jaguars with a larger, more readily available meal.
Even if some prey species exist in high quantities, that doesn’t mean wild cats are able to hunt them. For example, a lion would be unlikely to take down a full-grown giraffe on Africa’s grasslands, though instances of lion predation on giraffes have occurred. However, in the case of the jaguar and the caiman, jaguars are specifically adapted to hunt prey like these large crocodilians.
Jaguars are willing and strong swimmers. Amid this seasonally flooded ecosystem, jaguars live semi-aquatic lifestyles. And where are caimans most often found? The waterways of the Pantanal.
Jaguars have a second major difference from most other wild cat species. Unlike other cats, jaguars are specifically adapted to hunt neotropical reptiles. Besides caimans, jaguars have been recorded hunting very large crocodilians such as the Orinoco crocodile. They also prey on turtles and tortoises and have been known to go after prey as large as boa constrictors and anacondas.
After the end of the last Ice Age, there was a significant decline in large animals that once roamed the tropical American savannas (such as large camelids, giant sloths and armadillos, horse-sized tapirs and capybaras the size of bears). As a result, jaguars — whose physical size has significantly decreased since that time period — had to turn to other abundant food sources such as big, aquatic reptiles. Jaguars were able to hunt these creatures thanks to a special evolutionary trait — their exceptionally powerful jaws.
Jaguars have the strongest bite of any wild cat species, relative to their size. Their strong jaws mean that they can easily pierce the skulls of their prey species with their large canines, allowing them to hunt with efficiency and deadly force. When hunting a thick-scaled, dangerous animal like a crocodilian, precision and power are key. With a leap and a bite to the back of the head, jaguars can cut off a caiman’s brain from the rest of its nervous system — paralyzing it and minimizing danger to the jaguar during the ensuing struggle.
Like any carnivore-prey relationship, jaguar predation on caimans has a number of effects on the balance of the ecosystems both species inhabit. When jaguars hunt caimans, they are more likely to eat weak, unhealthy individuals. This ensures that caiman populations are healthier and less susceptible to decline. Eating caimans also controls the food caimans eat. Adult male caimans cannibalize younger caimans at the end of the dry season. They eat fish in large quantities, so when jaguars eat caimans, it allows caiman and fish populations to thrive and maintain healthy numbers. Jaguars are ecosystem engineers — their role as apex carnivores directly and indirectly help regulate the ecosystems they reside in.
A jaguar emerges from the water, caiman flailing in its jaws. Its powerful legs and bite propel the reptile off of the riverbank, deep into the thickets on its shores. Thanks to the jaguar’s powerful jaws, a product of many long years of evolution, it can hunt an animal that is abundant in the Pantanal’s wetlands. And for ecotourists, it’s a sight to behold, one that is millions of years in the making. At Panthera Brasil, we promote jaguar-oriented ecotourism and strive to showcase amazing jaguar behaviors like this, in hopes that locals and tourists alike gain appreciation for both the big cats and these fascinating reptiles. The funds jaguar tourism brings in also create an economic incentive for local communities, improving their livelihoods and creating jobs, especially for women. And for tourists, wildlife conservation elicits hope for a future where jaguars can thrive across their range.
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© Sebastian Kennerknecht
