After several postponements due to the Covid 19 pandemic, we finally were able to complete our 2022 Puma tour! And all the travel hassle was forgotten as our small group was looking at their first Puma(s) on the first afternoon in Puma Land. Our tracker found two 14 month old siblings on a rocky hillside. These were a well known female named Repestra’s cubs. There is a striking color difference between the male and female cubs…male being very grey and female being more typical tan in color. We watched the cats sleep and reposition in the rocky environment. Both of their color morphs blended in perfectly with different aspects of the grass and rocky terrain. At one point a Guanaco crested a nearby ridge and both cats assumed a hunting posture. Down the valley we heard alarm calls from another Guanaco and our guide quickly found another Puma walking up the valley. We made the decision to follow this other cat down the valley. As we walked, we noticed yet another Puma cresting the hill 1/4 mile from our position. This is Puma Land! Our first afternoon and we already have 4 Pumas in the same valley! I really love this place!

Sighting of Pumas continued throughout the week. We found Blinka with her two 3 month old cubs on day 2 and spent time watching as she moved them near the lake. We also watched her stock a Hare and make the kill….bringing it back to the cubs to eat. The last couple days of the tour we spent watching this family as they stayed near a Guanaco kill Blinka made. We were very lucky that the kill was very close to a ridge where the family liked to rest between feeding. The backdrop to this location was the spectacular mountains of Torres del Paine….which always make wonderful images!

In all we saw/photographed 12 different Pumas on this week long tour. At one point we had 7 different Pumas at one Guanaco kill! After doing this tour for the last 8 years, it never ceases to amaze me how special it is to watch these glorious cats in this special…wild location. Looking forward to being back here in Feb/March 2023!!!