1. Patagonia

Pumas

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Eye spots
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Eye spots

This puma, who had a guanaco carcass nearby, was nearly invisible in the tall grasses were it not for her eye spots. Pumas are ambush hunters and their coloration conceals them very well in the tall grasses, were it not for those highly visible eye spots seen on her ears from the rear in this shot. There is a lot of speculation about the purpose of the eye spots, which are found on many wild cat species, but not much consensus. Patience was needed to see if she would to go back to her carcass and start feeding, maybe allowing a few more shots of her.

pumaeye spotsconcealedtall dead grassesfall vegetationgrass seedsTorres del PainePatagoniarear view

  • Puma kitten investigating the remains of a guanaco, Lago Sarmiento, Patagonia
  • Mother puma and kitten getting last feed from a guanaco carcass at nightfall, Lago Sarmiento, Patagonia
  • Puma
  • Close encounter of the best kind
  • Surprise encounter, female puma, Torres del Paine, Patagonia
  • Female puma on a hill top near Lago Amarga, Torres del Paine, Patagonia
  • Camouflaged puma moving across the pampas, Torres del Paine, Patagonia
  • Puma hiding in the bush, Torres del Paine, Patagonia
  • Waiting in ambush, female puma waiting to attack a nearby guanaco, Lago Sarmiento, Patagonia
  • Alert female puma waiting in ambush, Lago Sarmiento, Patagonia
  • Female puma sees phographer as possible prey, Lago Sarmiento, Patagonia
  • Puma reacts to its guanco prey running off, Lago Sarmiento, Patagonia
  • Hunting
  • Female puma stretching and yawning after her guanaco prey runs off, Lago Sarmiento, Patagonia
  • Eye spots
  • Guarding her dinner
  • Moving day
  • Alert puma near her guanco carcass in the long dried grasses, Torres del Paine, Patagonia
  • Heavy work
  • A puma drags her guanaco carcass through the tall dead grasses, Torres del Paine, Patagonia
  • Terry Allen

    on May 12, 2019

    Thanks a lot, Byron!

  • Byron Fair Photography

    on May 12, 2019

    Very nice shot.

  • Terry Allen

    on May 11, 2019

    Thanks for all the nice comments, Bill, Janet, John, Gene, Elizabeth, Rick, Loyd, Frank, Donna, Gail, Linda, Judy, Greg&Rose and God's Child!

  • God's Child

    on May 11, 2019

    Well camouflaged!

    My "Daily Photo" is here:

    https://godschild.smugmug.com/DailyPhotos/Daily-Dose-of-1-A-Day-2019/i-ccQGGKw/A

    5/10/2019

  • Greg&Rose Photography

    on May 11, 2019

    Wonderful shot of this stalking cat

  • fotoeffects

    on May 11, 2019

    Neat capture! I did not know these markings were called "eye spots." Interesting.

  • Lgood

    on May 10, 2019

    The puma is very camouflaged in the high grass. I think the eye spots are cool, but like you mentioned even the experts can't agree on why.

  • The Curious Camel aka gail

    on May 10, 2019

    You sure get close to the wild animals. Please be safe.

  • Donna McCommon

    on May 10, 2019

    Great capture!

  • Franks-Focus

    on May 10, 2019

    Great eye & well captured

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