© 2024 Blaze Media LLC. All rights reserved.
One. Two. Boom!': Stealthy Jaguar Stalks, Takes Down Caiman in Seconds
Scientists believe the jaguar for debilitated the caiman's central nervous system, biting through its skull. (Photo: Paul Donahue via National Geographic)

One. Two. Boom!': Stealthy Jaguar Stalks, Takes Down Caiman in Seconds

"That's a meal he's taking away to have at his convenience."

If you thought cats didn't like water, meet Mick Jaguar, a male jaguar nicknamed by locals in Brazil's Pantanal wetlands.

The jaguar, on the prowl, not only showed he could handle the water, but that he could use it to his advantage to sneakily stalk an unsuspecting caiman.

Footage of the sneak attack and dramatic death, which just took seconds, was filmed by Kedar Hippalgaonkar of Berkeley, Calif., who was on an ecotourism tour, according to National Geographic.

"He's just crawling first, and then you can see him sort of in hunt mode," Hippalgaonkar told NatGeo. "You know he’s definitely going for something. Which is why we decided to wait there, before all the other boats came."

Soundless and splashless, Mick Jaguar prowled along the shoreline.

"Walking along the bank for a jaguar, is like just skimming the buffet line," the narrator in Hippalgaonkar's footage said, noting how many different species jaguars prey upon.

Then, spotting a caiman on a small island, the jaguar swims toward it.

jaguar_paul donahue The jaguar swims up behind its unsuspecting prey. (Photo: Paul Donahue via National Geographic)

"Not a lot in the way of splashes there. This guy is good," the narrator continued. "One. Two. Boom!"

It isn't until the caiman is in the jaguar's jaws that it even notices its presence. A second or two later, the caiman is dead.

Jaguar_paul donahue The jaguar pounces before the caiman even knows what's coming. (Photo: Paul Donahue via National Geographic)

"This guy knew his business," Luke Dollar, a conservation scientist, said, according to NatGeo. "This guy got right in the thickest part of the brain case and sunk those teeth in. And that's pretty amazing when you consider a caiman’s brain is probably the size of a walnut."

jaguar_paul donahue Scientists believe the jaguar for debilitated the caiman's central nervous system, biting through its skull. (Photo: Paul Donahue via National Geographic)

This would have disabled the reptile instantly.

"That's a meal he's taking away to have at his convenience," the narrator said.

Watch the dramatic footage:

Read more about the encounter on National Geographic. Check out Paul Donahue's amazing still images of the event as well.

This story has been updated.

--

[related]

Want to leave a tip?

We answer to you. Help keep our content free of advertisers and big tech censorship by leaving a tip today.
Want to join the conversation?
Already a subscriber?