- [Narrator] Jaguar versus caiman.
Fight.
(bell rings)
These two predators are battling to the death.
Who will emerge victorious?
In the heart of Brazil,
the world's largest tropical wetland
is known as the Pantanal.
These 81,000 square miles are home
to a wild variety of creatures.
Some cute, and some...
(splashing)
...not so cute.
Close relatives of the alligator,
caimans are aplenty in these parts.
During the dry season, an estimated 5 to 10 million
yacare caimans crowd the riverbanks.
It actually might be the largest population
of crocodilians on Earth.
Male caimans can grow to 8 feet long,
and weigh 130 pounds.
But to be king of the swamp,
they've got competition,
from the 3rd largest cat in the world.
Roughly 100 jaguars roam the Pantanal.
With such thick coverage, this dense rainforest
is an ambush predator's dream.
Oh, and one more thing.
Jaguars are superb swimmers.
This young male could grow to weigh more than 200 pounds.
To rule this land, a kids' meal won't cut it.
Enter the caiman.
Tangling with such a foe could spell doom for the cat.
And yet hunger outweighs his concern.
The time to strike is now.
Let's rumble.
(splashing)
An experienced jaguar would unleash
a deadly bite to the brain.
But the rookie is struggling to maintain a firm grip.
Desperate to escape, the caiman tries to roll over,
but the jaguar's powerful jaw clamps down
on the reptile's throat.
The caiman does have one advantage.
He can hold his breath underwater for an hour.
If he can stay afloat and alive just long enough,
he might be able to surprise the jaguar with another roll.
It's now a contest of pure strength and stamina.
Both animals are exhausted,
but surrender is not an option.
The stress of the tussle takes its toll,
and the caiman's body goes limp.
With water in the lungs, it's all over.
Well, almost over.
The jaguar still has to haul that carcass out of the river.
Whoa, here we go, ah, made it.
And there you have it.
In a land loaded with armored reptiles,
this ferocious feline reigns supreme.