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AssetID: 40082334

Headline: Cat-Fight Between Female Pumas

Caption: PICTURE SHOWS: The puma mother, called Rupestre, (on left) faces-off against the one-eyed female called Blinker. ... STORY COPY: These remarkable pictures show an impressive catfight between two female pumas. British wildlife photographer Paul Goldstein captured the stand-off as a protective mother chased a rival female up a treacherous hillside. The face-off saw swiping of claws as the intruder attempted to get access to the family’s fresh kill. Exodus Travels (www.exodus.co.uk) guide Paul was leading a tour in Torres del Paine national park in Chile in November (2019) when the action happened. He explains: “Trekking up mountains, carrying all your gear to try to get near this enigmatic and frankly beautiful cat, is about as good as wildlife photography gets, however exhausting. However, I was not expecting this outcome. The puma mother, called Rupestre, had killed a young guanaco (a llama-like animal) and her family – four cubs of around eight months old - were gorging themselves on it. “Just after first light another puma female - Blinker, she only has one eye - appeared, clearly having smelt the carcass. Almost immediately, the mother tore up the slope and chased the imposter high up onto the volcanic rock. Blinker slashed with her claws, and hissed and growled, but was inexorably pushed back along the rock face. Finally, with no other option, she had to drop vertically twenty feet before slinking off, her not inconsiderable tail firmly between her legs.”

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