Shot of the Month – February 2025

As the sun rises in Patagonia, a resting Guanaco looks on, likely wondering why we are up so early.

A Guana-what?

For the uninitiated, it is pronounced “gwa NAH ko.”

If you thought our long-necked furry thing was a llama, you are not far off.  Guanacos have a very calm/mellow temperament which allowed locals to domesticate them 6,000-7,000 years ago. That domesticated version is, yep you guessed it, the llama.

Guanacos are the largest herbivores in South America’s dry areas, and they are the main prey of Patagonia’s apex predator – the puma.

But do note, guanacos are not an easy meal.  No, far from it.  Guanacos are BIG.  They stand 6 feet tall and can weigh three times the weight of a puma.  Guanacos are also fast – they can run 35 mph.  These camel-like creatures (yes, they are related to camels) also have thicker skin on their long necks for protection against predators.

We watched the puma below stalk a guanaco for about 45 minutes.  She was unsuccessful.

A failed hunt is expected.  It is the norm.  Pumas only succeed about 1 in 5 attempts (that is an 80% failure rate!). (In the video below, they say success is only 1 in 10!)

I have seen many feline predators hunt – some in person and many others on video.  Catching prey is difficult for all predators, but nothing comes close to the challenge that a puma faces every day. Watch this video and be prepared to be stunned.  (Video link here.)

Imagine if you had to do this every time you wanted a meal!!

I am shocked that there are any pumas left alive in Patagonia, given how hard they have to work day in and day out to secure a meal.  I would expect that life-threatening injuries must occur regularly, as seen in the video below (fear not, mom and cubs survive, I have seen the entire documentary). The link is also here.

And in the next video, watch how hard the puma gets slammed to the ground…again, and again…and…..(the action starts at about 1m 50sec).  I recommend watching with the sound off. (Video link here)

Excuse me, what?  You are feeling a bit peckish?  Well, saddle up, cowboy, you have some work to do if you are a puma in Patagonia!

E-V-E-R-Y  D-A-Y, this is what you have to endure if you want to eat.

In the last example of this daily struggle, a professional photographer captures the battle through a dramatic series of stills stitched together into a short video:

I got nothing else to say.  Speechless.  Pumas are absolute gangsters.  I have the greatest respect for both contestants.  Life is H-A-R-D when you are in the food chain….

 

Until next month….michael

Click here to learn more about Patagonia:

Patagonia

And here for more on Pumas
Puma

And here for the story behind getting a great puma landscape image:

Trifecta

 

Nikon Z9, 100-400mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 5000, EV -0.666