Bolivian Jaguar Cub
The second post of FunnelScope Funnies series focusing on fun and interesting travel stories to highlight our alpha launch of FunnelScope.
Let me start by saying I did not actually kidnap the jaguar cub and preferred that we didn’t for lots of reasons.
In 2007, I decided to take a trek into the Bolivian jungle. I went with a small adventurous group and a native guide where he taught us how to fish and hunt in the wild. It’s quite an experience and adventure. You quickly become fond of your guide as you realize in the middle of the (very dark) jungle that your life truly depends on them. We soon realized that our guide was also out of his mind.
At the tail-end of our trek when we were heading back to civilization, the guide came across footprints. He identified them as the footprints of a jaguar. Instead of walking in the opposite direction, he decided to follow them. Yes, this concerned us but as I already said you have to trust your guide otherwise you probably die anyway.
After trekking awhile after the jaguar he asked that we camp out so he could search for it on his own (with a hunting knife in hand to protect himself). By the way, did I say that our guide spoke very little English? So we hung out as our guide was off chasing a jaguar. In our minds, if he found the jaguar and was injured or killed, how were we going to find our way back?
After a few hours, our guide came back with a jaguar cub tied in some rope. The cub was gorgeous and we were elated to see both our guide and the cub. But then it struck us if the mother jaguar found us with her cub, we were all done for. Plus it’s just not right taking a cub from her mother. The guide didn’t care. In fact, he wanted to keep the jaguar cub as a pet. We were in no position to argue in the middle of the Bolivian jungle.
I have to say the cub was the most playful thing (see videos below). And the native seemed to be able to control this wild animal with incredible skill. But the entire trek back I was sure we were going to be mauled by momma jaguar. Luckily we made it back fine. The videos are of the cub when we were in the main camp at the outskirts of the jungle where they seemed prepared for such things with chains and collars.
I never could have imagined when I signed up for the trek that I would find and be part of a group taking such a gorgeous creature out of the jungle. One of many lessons learned in the jungle. Travel Lesson #2: You never know what you might walk out with once you enter the jungle.
