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Puma
THE PUMA - CAT OF ONE COLOUR (Puma concolor)
THE PUMA - CAT OF ONE COLOUR (Puma concolor)
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THE PUMA - CAT OF ONE COLOUR (Puma concolor)
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There should be more study on cougars in Central and South America where they live together with bigger jaguars.
Panterinha
''This is how territoriality looks in cougars. Bulma is a a very energetic young-adult female cougar while the other three cougars with whom she lives and shares her home are very old and also much less energetic than her. Here we can see Bulma feeling somewhat harassed by Chichén, one of our two old male cougars who simply wants to walk along the same path where she is, but Bulma reacts defensively and decides to give way to Chichén. It’s amazing to see her ears during this agonistic behavior.'' VIDEO
Atlantic Forest Puma - Brazil
photo: SOS Mata Atlântica/Divulgação  *This image is copyright of its original author
Pousada Trijunção - Cerrado - Brazil
credits: onçafari  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Brasinha male Puma from NEX Sanctuary - Brazil.
 *This image is copyright of its original author
Nielsen, C., Thompson, D., Kelly, M. & Lopez-Gonzalez, C.A. 2015. Puma concolor. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T18868A97216466.
10.2305_IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T18868A50663436.en.pdf (Size: 2.07 MB / Downloads: 2)
From Cougar: Ecology and Conservation (2009)
Evolution Cougars are one of twelve New World felids, which evolved from four different felid lineages ( Figure 3.2). Seven of the other eleven New World felids compose the ocelot lineage (ocelot, Leopardus pardalis; margay, Leopardus wiedii ; tigrina, Leopardus tigrina; Geoffroy’s cat, Oncifelis geoffroyi ; kodkod, Oncifelis guigna; Andean mountain cat, Oreailurus jacobita; and pampas cat, Lynchailurus colocolo). Ocelot the puma lineage (Johnson and O’Brien 1997; Pecon-Slattery and O’Brien 1998). The puma lineage is an old, deeply divergent lineage within the cat family Felidae , and lineage members likely originated from a North American ancestor. The cheetah was the earliest to diverge, about 5–8 MYA (Wayne et al. 1989; Janczewski et al. 1995; Johnson and O’Brien 1997; Pecon-Slattery and O’Brien 1998; Johnson et al. 2006), after which it presumably dispersed through Asia to its current distribution in Africa and the Middle East (Turner 1997). Fossil evidence in North America, from 0.6–3.2 MYA, suggests that a cheetah like Plio-Pleistocene felid, (Miracinonyx inexpectatus) may link the cougar and cheetah (Orr 1969; Kurtén 1976; Adams 1979; Van Valkenburgh et al. 1990). Early cougars (of the Rancholabrean time period) are intermediate in morphology between M. inexpectatus and modern cougars (Kurtén 1976). About 4–5 MYA, the cougar diverged from a common ancestor with the jaguarundi (Janczewski et al. 1995; Johnson and O’Brien 1997, Johnson et al. 2006). Cougar fossils have been found in the southern half of the United States and Mexico dating to between 0.01 and 0.2 MYA (Rancholabrean period; Kurtén 1976; Kurtén and Anderson 1980), and in South America to between 0.01 and 0.3 MYA (Lujanian and Ensenadan periods; Savage and Russell 1983; Werdlin 1989). The cougar, or its ancestor, probably arrived in South America approximately 2–4 MYA during the Great American Interchange (Patterson and Pascual 1972; Webb 1976, 1978; Webb and Marshall 1981; Stehli and Webb 1985; Webb and Rancy 1996), at which time placental carnivore species fi rst migrated to South America with the formation of the Panamanian land bridge. Since the general fl ow of the interchange went from north to south (Marshall et al. 1982), and because M. inexpectatus is found only in North America (Orr 1969; Kurtén 1976; Adams 1979; Van Valkenburgh et al. 1990), it is likely that the cougar, or an ancestor to the cougar, evolved in North America and migrated south.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Cougar Population Dynamics and Viability in the Pacific Northwest
Abstract Abstract Increasing reports of human/cougar conflicts may suggest that cougars are increasing in the Pacific Northwest. We determined minimum relative densities and average fecundity, survival, and growth rate of an apparently increasing cougar population in northeastern Washington, USA; northern Idaho, USA; and southern British Columbia, Canada, from 1998 to 2003. Minimum relative densities declined from 1.47 cougars/100 km2to 0.85 cougars/100 km2. We estimated average litter size at 2.53 kittens, interbirth interval at 18 months, proportion of reproductively successful females at 75%, and age at first parturition at 18 months for a maternity rate of 1.27 kittens/adult female/yr. Average survival rate for all radiocollared cougars was 59%: 77% for adult females, 33% for adult males, 34% for yearlings, and 57% for kittens. Hunting accounted for 92% of mortalities of radiocollared cougars. The annual stochastic growth rate of this population was Λ = 0.80 (95% CI = 0.11). Contrary to accepted belief, our findings suggest that cougars in the Pacific Northwest are currently declining. Increased conflicts between cougars and humans in this area could be the result of the 1) very young age structure of the population caused by heavy hunting, 2) increased human intrusion into cougar habitat, 3) low level of social acceptance of cougars in the area, or 4) habituation of cougars to humans. To help preserve this population, we recommend reduced levels of exploitation, particularly for adult females, continuous monitoring, and collaborative efforts of managers from adjacent states and provinces. One remarkable thing in this study is that it reports that the most common cause of cougar mortality is hunting by humans. 
Ecology & Conservation of Mountain Lions in Greater Los Angeles - A Webinar with Dr. John Benson
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Quote:Photos of possible size and weight records? |
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