Jaguar

10 to 14 Mar, 2026 - Pocone, Pantanal - (Brazil)



From Bonito, we flew (via Sao Paulo) to Cuiaba, gateway to the northern Pantanal. No delay, we headed straight out from the airport to get in to the wetlands as effeciently as possible. Last stop in Brazil, and keen for a highlight to finish on.

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Sunrise on Rio Cuiaba
Travelling on the Cuiaba river in a small speed boat, a thin gentle haze hovering above the water to provide an accent for the rising sun.


A Hawk with Some Lunch
We saw this beautiful bird snatch that large fish from just below the water surface. It landed on the other side of the river, and proceeded to feast straight away, proudly showing us the catch.


Yellow Anaconda
Less than 15 minutes after our arrival, one of the workers burst in. He was running to get us, not wanting us to miss the beautiful snake passing through the yard.

The biggest surprise was the unconcerned behaviour of the chickens.


Portrait of a Yellow Anaconda
It's amazing to see the vibrant golden scales so close. Eyes and nostrils high on the head enable them to disappear in the water, with only these vital organs above the surface.


Snake Observation
I saw a description of anacondas, calling them polite predators. With few predators, they are considered apex. The polite label is earned because they generally don't engage with anything they won't eat, conserving energy and effort for true prey only, or only if they feel threatened.


Family of Capybara
They darted back and forth along the water's edge. They seemed a little unsettled by us on the boat, even though the engine was off.


Largest Rodent in the World
Capybara, or in Portuguese, capivara.

The ears and eyes and nose are all high on the head, so like the anaconda, they can remain almost completely submerged.


A Wonderful Sighting
We were warned. This was not a good time of year for spotting jaguar. In fact, probably the worst.

With our expectations set suitably low, we nonetheless decided that it was worth a punt. They are still around, just more elusive.

Our accommodation was a fair way along the river from the true border of the wildlife protection reserve. Even though technically not in the reserve, a wide perimeter around the reserve seems to be respected by locals and treated somewhat the same. The land might be private and (sparsely) populated, there are some farming activities, but it makes the transition from rural to nature quite gradual, like a soft border.

We set off early in the boat, with the schedule having us on the water for around 7 hours. Within the first hour, and possibly within 5 minutes of entering the reserve, there was this beautiful sight.

Swimming.

A jaguar.

Swimming.

I didn't know they swam.

We were looking in the trees, and in the undergrowth along the banks. We weren't looking in the water.

Swimming.

A jaguar.


Off She Goes
It wasn't a very long sighting, but it was special. An unforgettable end-of-trip highlight.


Talking of Nostrils and Eyes
A caiman keeps watch on us, ready to dive and disappear if he perceives us to be a threat.


Perched Kingfisher
Sitting above the river, scanning.

Finding the kingfishers is not a hard task. The blue stands out against the tree foliage, and they don't mind sitting on bare branches. They are brave birds, too, not too quick to take flight as we edge close to them for a picture.

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