Two striped jaguars were spotted arguing over a snake on Tuesday (the 29th) in Porto Jofre, in the Poconé region of the Mato Grosso Pantanal. This scene was recorded by wildlife guide Milka Zukki during a boat trip.
The jaguars, named Macala and Pantaneiro, uncle and nephew, pulled the snake in opposite directions. Both males are part of a coalition—a term describing the bond between two or more males who remain together for a long time and share territory. Biologist Daniela Sifuentes noted that such behavior is still poorly documented among striped jaguars.
The scene occurred while Macala and Pantaneiro were together, swimming and hunting. According to Milka, initially the team did not know what animal they had found, which attracted the attention of those present. 'Before this, we didn't know what they found. We thought it was a lizard. But suddenly, when they raised their heads, one pulled in one direction, the other in another, then all the people there started making noise because tourists want to take photos, shoot videos,' she recounted.
Daniela explained that food disputes among jaguars are usually fierce. The biologist also reported that Macala and Pantaneiro had previously been observed pulling lizards in different directions, but they had never seen them fight each other. 'Food disputes are usually fierce, although they pull an anaconda in different directions, they have already seen them do it with lizards... and they haven't seen them fighting yet; they always play, lick each other, and fight with other males,' she added.
For Milka, this observation was particularly rare. As a guide, she mentioned that she had seen a jaguar interacting with an anaconda, but never two striped jaguars fighting over one prey. The guide stated that the encounter happened while she and the boat captain were heading out to observe Medrosa, who, according to information received, was with cubs in Corisho Negro, one of the waterways in the Porto Jofre region.
During the trip, they discovered Macala and Pantaneiro. According to Milka, both were swimming, playing, and hunting together when they encountered the anaconda and the scene that led to the recording began. Macala and Pantaneiro are uncle and nephew, and both were born in 2024. Macala is the son of Patricia, a very well-known female among biologists, photographers, and guides visiting this area. Pantaneiro is the son of Medrosa, who is also Patricia's daughter. The biologist stated that Macala and Pantaneiro are currently the only observed males demonstrating this type of association in this region.
Daniela clarified that although striped jaguars are primarily solitary, males of other feline species can establish long-term bonds and share territory. However, such behavior remains weakly documented among striped jaguars. 'Jaguars are considered solitary, but these coalitions are associations between two or more males who spend a lot of time together and share the same territory. This is well-documented behavior in lions, for example, but not in the striped jaguar,' she explained.
In the case of these two males, the assumption is that the association is related to territorial defense and a method of ensuring reproduction among females. The biologist emphasized, however, that limitations still exist for a complete explanation of this behavior, as coalitions among striped jaguars are a relatively new subject of observation. 'This is the fourth well-documented coalition in Jofre, and it is assumed that these males do this to defend territory from other males and increase the chances of reproduction,' she concluded.