Nimble and stealthy

Odds are this very focused puma has its eyes locked on a guanaco, a relative of the llama that's firmly at the top of its daily menu. In this case, dinner will be served in Torres del Paine National Park in the Patagonia region of Chile, the sprawling park recognized as one of the most famous places in the world to watch and photograph wild pumas. While many tourists prefer Patagonia's warmer seasons, puma enthusiasts head to Torres del Paine from May to August—what's known locally as the secret season, when trained guides take visitors on hikes or all-terrain vehicle tours to look for the stealthy pumas. The wild cats have been officially protected for the last few years, bolstering their population, and there are abundant guanacos in the Patagonian steppes, which also helps.
© Ingo Arndt/Minden Pictures