I most certainly didn’t know that Jaguars hunt Sea Turtles until I came across this video shared by Christine Figgener, a marine biologist. In the article, we will have a look at how these big cats grabbed their opportunity, and compare the two animals’ characteristics.
What We See
In the video, which you can see a bit later in the article, we see a jaguar carrying his unusual meal to eat in safety – an Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. Not only does this show how opportunistic these predators are, but their strength as well!
Travelers
Female Olive Ridley Sea Turtles may travel as far as 2,000 miles a year to return to their previous nesting grounds. And thousands of these sea turtles make the shallow waters of Costa Rica their home until they are ready to lay their eggs.
Synchronized Nesting
Female Olive Ridley Sea Turtles return to the same beaches to nest each year. And as easily as they move in the water, as difficult they find to navigate the sand. Once on the beach, thousands of these sea turtles dig nests to lay their eggs in.
Arribada
Every year, thousands of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles travel to the Costa Rican beach to lay their eggs. This three-day nesting event is known as the arribada and the sight is amazing. However, their massive gathering on the beach also entices a powerful predator lurking in the jungle.
Threats
Normally we would think that the eggs and hatchlings born on the beach making their way to the oceans are the only ones in danger from predators. But as we see in the video, the fully grown females aren’t out of danger either.
The Powerful Predator
It takes an incredibly strong predator to drag a 100-pound turtle from the beach. Then again, a Jaguar is not just any predator. They have the strongest bite force out of all the big cats!
Because Of The Turtles
This area in Costa Rica has many jaguars calling it their home, and they come to this beach, because of the turtles coming to nest. Knowing that they will be able to get a relatively easy hunt, although heavy, from the large congregation of sea turtles.
Fighting
You would think that with this many jaguars in the same area, territorial fights would break out. However, this seems not to be the case. A video captured by National Geographic shows two rival alpha male jaguars sharing a meal.
New Theory
This shared meal brought to light a new theory, that when there is enough food available it brings out a rare communal side to these big cats can be seen. This is most likely due to the decrease in competition as there is enough food to go around!
Sea Turtle Livlihood
Only a small fraction of sea turtles are taken by jaguars from the beach each year. And considering that over 100,000 of them gather to nest on the beach each year, the jaguars’ hunting does not drastically affect their population.
Natural Phenomenon
This incredible event called the Arribada ensures the preservation and future of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle as well as that of the species surrounding the beach. A beautiful representation of how wonderful nature is!
Jaguar Carrying His Meal
Here you can see the video on Instagram from Christine Figgener, a marine biologist.
Learn More About This Incredible Phenomenon
How Long Do Olive Ridley Sea Turtles Live?
These sea turtles can live around 50 years in the wild and only reach sexual maturity at about 15 years old.
How Long Do Jaguars Live?
These strong animals live between 12 and 16 years in the wild and reach sexual maturity at around 4 years old.
How Big Do Olive Ridley Sea Turtles Get?
These sea turtles are relatively small if compared to some of the other species. They weigh an average of 100 pounds and grow to between 2 and 2.5 feet long.
How Big Do Jaguars Get?
Full-grown jaguars are between 5 and 8 feet long, and weigh between 140 to 300 pounds!
Olive Ridley Sea Turtles Conservation
Olive Ridley Sea Turtles are internationally listed as Vulnerable. This is due to exploitation of their skin in the past, being accidentally caught in fishing nets, and ocean pollution.
Jaguar Conservation
Jaguars are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List. Their declining numbers are due to the illegal wildlife trade, human-animal interaction, and habitat loss.
Final Say
I hope you learned as much as I did about Jaguars and the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle! And saw how well nature takes care of itself when there is little to no human interference.
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