THE FLIP FLOP LIFE

A couple of weeks ago, I was walking Kika in the forest, as I do every afternoon when something caught my attention. 

I am always looking at the floor to avoid stepping on a snake. They are usually curled up and are hard to spot, so I have taken the habit of walking very carefully and keeping my eyes on the floor.

That day, it had been raining the entire morning, so it was very muddy.

As I passed a particularly narrow path, I saw a print in the mud. More specifically, the print of a cat. They can be distinguished from other prints, like dogs, because big cats walk with their nails withdrawn just like house cats, so they have nail-less footprints.  

OF COURSE, I did not have my phone with me…

No comments. 

The tracks continued for a while and then disappeared somewhere into the jungle. 

So, I continued walking Kika, went back home and told Frank. “You know what? There are some cat prints on the path, so I think that….”. The rest was lost.

Frank had jumped from the computer and was already wearing his rubber boots. “Show me!”

Of course, being (the scientific) Frank, he went prepared. In the 3 seconds after I mentioned the tracks, he had managed to get hold of the tape measure, the phone and a big stick and was already putting his rubber boots. 

And so we went. 

Back at home, we checked the print with a leaflet with animal tracks.

It was about 8 cm wide, meaning …..it could be a puma.

A PUMA? Nahhhh, it can’t be.

Not here.

Not so close to the houses.

We nonetheless informed the land caretaker – who has two small dogs that often roam around but are snack-size for a puma.

And then we let it go. 

Until a week later.

This time it was Frank who was walking Kika in a different part of the forest when he saw the remains of a sloth.

Clearly eaten by something B-I-G. We will spare you the photos.

Hmmm…. Maybe it could be a big cat, after all. 

That same day, I saw tracks again on “my trail”.

Two types this time. One with a larger print and one with a smaller print. 

So, we placed the camera trap….it was about time, you are probably thinking…

And this is what we found. Enjoy!