Clément Fontaine
Predator versus Predator, 2021
Pantanal region, Brazil
Category - Into the forest
After following this jaguar (Panthera onca) along the river for almost a whole day, we suddenly saw it jump into the water and start fighting with this caiman. The struggle ended when the jaguar managed to sink its fangs into the reptile’s throat. Securing its grip, the feline then dragged the caiman to the shore. The jaguar is an emblematic animal of Brazil. Although it is not the largest of felines, it is the most powerful, with a jaw capable of crushing its victims’ skull. It is also a super-predator, essential for maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. A victim of deforestation and hunting, it has almost disappeared from the Atlantic forests of the Brazilian coast and its presence is becoming increasingly rare, even in the Amazon. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Northern Pantanal Plain is one of the few places in America where the jaguar can still be seen in its natural habitat.
JURY'S DISTINCTION
150-600 mm f/5-6.3 Lens - 1/640 sec at f/5.3 ISO 500