THE PUMA - CAT OF ONE COLOUR (Puma concolor)

[peter]

PUMA AND BLACK BEAR


In the USA, puma's kill much more animals than they need to. The reason is over 50% of their kills is confiscated by (black) bears (...). When bears emerge from their dens, they actively seek out puma kills. Although bears are not the only reason, pumas respond by hunting smaller animals (animals that can be consumed in one sitting) in summer.

Why don't pumas defend their kills? Every now and then, they do. In California, a youngish adult female was displaced by a medium-sized female black bear. Some time later, she returned and probably surprised the female black bear. The bear didn't survive the encounter:  

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2014/11/01/mountain-lions-versus-black-bears/

This case, however, was quite exceptional, as pumas, according to all recent studies, are routinely displaced by (black) bears. If we add wolves (in Canada in particular) are serious competitors as well, the conclusion is pumas struggle. Reply