Fazenda Santana do Piquiri, BrazilIn the middle of a cattle ranch in Brazil's Pantanal, a giant anteater appeared from the dense treeline and came down to drink at the edge of a lake. A wildlife photographer, watching from a rickety canoe on the water, had his camera trained on the animal when another movement caught his eye: a large male jaguar.

The big cat, with its neck of packed muscle and paws bigger than boxing gloves, silently padded toward the giant anteater and crouched behind it. The cat appeared ready to pounce—when something stopped him. (See rare camera-trap pictures of jaguars.)

"When I saw the jaguar strolling up behind the completely unaware—and at the time vulnerable—giant anteater, I just assumed I