Ecotourists in the Brazilian Pantanal are getting front-row seats to watch battles between apex predators like jaguars and pumas, with the occasional ocelot fight thrown in as an opener.
As tourists have become more regular fixtures in the giant wetlands of Brazil, large carnivores have become more accustomed to their presence, researchers say. This has resulted in an increasing number of recorded incidents of jaguars fighting cougars or ocelots, giving scientists new insight into behavior that wasn’t previously well documented or studied, as it’s difficult to observe. In a recent study, researchers describe a number of different cases of jaguars (Panthera onca) fighting and often killing pumas (Puma concolor) and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis)—sometimes eating parts of them as well.
