Land of the Jaguar. A visit to the Casanare region of the Llanos Orientales.

Panthera onca (Jaguar) Llanos Orientales Colombia

The Llanos is a vast savannah region to the east of the Andes stretching between Colombia and Venezuela. I visited the Casanare region of the Llanos in Colombia, flying into Yopal and then travelling by road to the Juan Solito Ecolodge at the Hato Aurora with my family. We spent 5 nights in the lodge next to the Rio Ariporo. This ecolodge and its surrounding nature reserve (Reserva Casanare) exceeded all my expectations, and I was able to see many iconic South American animals including jaguars, an ocelot, caiman, crocodiles, anacondas and literally loads of capybaras.  The birdlife was also spectacular, and I was able to see parrot species, macaws, storks and numerous colourful species of wading birds.

Jabiro mycteria (Jabiro) and other waders    Llanos Orientales Colombia

Part 1. The mammals of the Reserva Casanare.

On one of our trips, we went out in the safari truck looking for anteaters. We were able to see a tamandua but not the larger ground dwelling species. On this trip an ocelot ran cross the road in front of us into the bushes at the roadside. It was too quick for me to get a photo. We also saw a species of fox twice at night returning from trips out, but again no photo. The highlight of the trip however, was being lucky enough to be able to see a pair of jaguars.

We had spent several hours on two previous trips by safari truck into the reserve looking for jaguars, but without success. They finally appeared for us however, just before sunset after an hour or so of waiting, on the final full day of our visit. Our guide Byron, was able to get us to within about approx. 500m of the pair. To the naked eye at this range, I found them hard to make out, but they were clear through binoculars and I was able to get these photographs with the full extension of my zoom lens.

Panthera onca (Jaguar) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Panthera onca (Jaguar) Llanos Orientales Colombia

The jaguars had emerged from the edge of a scrubby forest area onto the savannah and were simply lying down and resting, occasionally rolling over as we watched them. Eventually when they were both lying down sleeping and as the light faded, we left them to head back to our lodgings. It was a perfect end to a perfect holiday.

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Capybara) Llanos Orientales Colombia

The capybaras were everywhere in the reserve during our visit, including outside of our room. They were unbothered by our presence and it was wonderful to finally meet these iconic animals.

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Capybara) Llanos Orientales Colombia

It was the end of the dry season when we visited and there had been no significant rain for months. The landscape was therefore baked dry, and the remaining watering holes attracted large numbers of animals. A white-tailed deer doe had also become very used to the guests and would sometimes visit the restaurant to get food.  The watering holes that were left in the savannah also attracted many of these deer as well as herds of feral pigs.

Odocoileus virginianus (White tailed deer) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Odocoileus virginianus (White tailed deer) Llanos Orientales Colombia

On our first night an armadillo visited a chicken coop outside the kitchens, upsetting the hen and as a result alerting us to its presence. This animal was searching for grubs in the pen. At night a family of possums scampered about the thatch and beams of the lodge. The baby of this family was particularly cute.

Dasypus hybridus (Armadillo) 

Didelphis marsupialis (Common Opossum)

In the trees along the river were families of red howler monkeys.

Alouatta seniculus (Colombian Red Howler Monkey) Llanos Oriantales Colombia

Black agoutis were quite common near the river and near the restaurant.

Dasyprocta fuliginosa (Black Agouti) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Part 2. The reptiles of the Reserva Casanare.

I was particularly keen to see the spectacled caiman and the Orinoco crocodile on this trip and to look for anacondas. The caiman were everywhere where there was any significant water, and easily seen both on the banks of the river and at the watering holes.

Caiman crocodilus (The spectacled caiman) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Caiman crocodilus (The spectacled caiman) Llanos Orientales Colombia

The Orinoco crocodile is a critically endangered animal that has been introduced to the reserve as part of a conservation effort. I was able to see two small specimens at a watering hole and one much larger individual swimming past our boat during a river trip. It is South America’s largest crocodile species.

Crocodylus intermedius(Orinoco crocodile) in a small lake

Crocodylus intermedius(Orinoco crocodile) in the river

Crocodylus intermedius(Orinoco crocodile) in a small lake

Our guide found two anacondas for me to photograph. One in the swampy area around a small lake and one in the river during our boat trip. 

Eunectes murinus (The Green Anaconda) Llanos Orientales Colombia

The anaconda at the lake was in danger of being eaten by the caiman after it was removed from the water. We spotted eight of them walking in towards the snake to catch it. As a result, our guide removed the anaconda and placed it in a safer part of the lake away from the caiman.

Eunectes murinus (The Green Anaconda) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Eunectes murinus (The Green Anaconda) Llanos Orientales Colombia

This cat snake was on the road back from the lake.

Leptodeira anulata (Banded Cat Snake) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Iguanas were everywhere both in the areas near the riverbanks and near the watering holes.

Iguana iguana (Green Iguana) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Turtles were a regular feature around the lakes and river banks and I found two tortoises on land.

Podocnemis vogli (llanero terrapin) Llanos Orientalis Colombia

Chelonoidis carbonarius (The red-footed tortoise) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Part 3. The birds of the Reserva Casanare.

A scarlet macaw regularly visited the restaurant at breakfast to eat the fruit that was put out for it and to steal the guest’s food. I saw five other members of the parrot family: Chestnut fronted macaws, orange winged amazon parrots, yellow crowned amazon parrots, spectacled parrotlets and brown faced parakeets.

Ara macao (The scarlet macaw)

Ara severus (Chestnut-fronted macaw) 

Amazona amazonica (The orange-winged amazon) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Burrowing owls were fairly common and there were several other different kinds of birds of prey.

Athene cunicularia (The burrowing owl) Llanos Orientales Colombia

Buteogallus meridionalis (savannah hawk) Llanos Orientalis Colombi

These birds were masters of camouflage. The unusual potoo looked like an extension of a dead branch and I managed to get a shot from horseback whilst riding around the reserve.

Nyctibius grandis (Great Potoo) Llanos Orientales Colombia

This pauraque was almost impossible to spot with its baby amongst the dead leaves under a bush.

Nyctidromus albicollis (Pauraque) Llanos Orientales Colombia

More colourful was this wire tailed manakin.

Pipra filicauda (wire-tailed manakin) Llanos Orientales Colombia

My favourite birds though had to be the noisy hoatzins that gathered in the trees near water to eat leaves. These unusual birds have claws on their wings to climb with when young.

Opisthocomus hoazin (Hoatzin)

Opisthocomus hoazin (Hoatzin)

It would be fair to say that this was by far the best place to see wildlife that I have been to in South America. As a bonus the chef Daniel cooked great food as well! Thank you to all of the staff at the Juan Solito Lodge for making this such an incredible experience.

Platalea ajaja (Roseate Spoonbill) Llanos Orientales Colombia