South American cougar (Puma concolor concolor)

[BorneanTiger]

The South American cougar (Puma concolor concolor) is the nominate subspecies of cougars found in South America, possibly excluding those northwest of the Andes, which might be of the northern subspecies: https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/hand...f?#page=33

At Torres del Paine National Park, in the Chilean part of the Patagonian region, south of the Amazon River:

A family with 2 cubs at Lagoe Pehoe, just  across the lake from Salto Grande waterfall, by Murray Foubister (16th of December, 2015):
   

Jan Fleischmann (12th of April, 2017) said that this Patagonian male was 80–90 kg (176.370–198.416 lbs)!
   

The male hiding behind a rock, by Jan Fleischmann:
   

Then the male walked up and passed by Fleischmann:
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[epaiva]

A young Puma hunting a Iguana in the Venezuelan Llanos 
Taken from the book Hato el Frio 

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[Balam]

Rare footage of a large Colombian Llanos male

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[BorneanTiger]

(12-05-2020, 01:24 AM)Pckts Wrote:

Those muscles are so big that looked above to see how the muscles of the Patagonian male above compared to these ones, though a trick was that the above one's were covered by its shadow, or angled in a different way. Reply

[Balam]

(12-08-2020, 12:51 PM)BorneanTiger Wrote:

(12-05-2020, 01:24 AM)Pckts Wrote:

Those muscles are so big that looked above to see how the muscles of the Patagonian male above compared to these ones, though a trick was that the above one's were covered by its shadow, or angled in a different way.

They are both females. Sexual dimorphism from Patagonian specimens can be seen here:

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[Sully]

The importance of forests for an apex predator:

spatial ecology and habitat selection by pumas
in an agroecosystem

Abstract:


The maintenance of viable carnivore populations along human-dominated land-

scapes depends on the understanding of the species requirements that are critical to

the design of global actions focused on their conservation. Using resource selection

function and a spatial analysis approach, we evaluated large carnivore habitat use

in a disturbed landscape by studying pumas in a rapidly developing region in

Southeast Brazil. Pumas had a mean home-range size of 203.7  39.8 km

2

and

showed pronounced territorial behavior through intrasexual overlap (males 22%

and females 60%). Our results also revealed a strong habitat association with forest

vegetation both at population and individual levels, followed by pasture with

shrubs, a type of anthropized habitat that offers cover and prey; the use of this

type of landcover was more frequent during night hours. Our study is the rst

robust home-range estimation of pumas in Brazil and lls a gap in puma’s ecology

knowledge in anthropized tropical environments, highlighting the importance of

natural habitat patches to this predator along human-modied areas and reinforcing

the species demand for vast and forested areas to thrive. In areas where conserva-

tion goals include the maintenance or increase in large predator populations, identi-

fying the limits imposed by anthropogenic landscape changes, and ensuring that
these are not exceeded, is paramount for conservation initiatives. Reply

[Balam]

Aborigen Reserve in the Argentinian Chaco, huge male

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By Proyecto Yaguarete Reply

[Balam]

Very large male from the Brasilia National Park, in the Cerrado

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By SBT Brasilia Reply

[Balam]

Bolivian Chaco, San Miguelito Conservation Ranch

Mating couple

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Drastic sexual dimorphism:

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[Balam]

Cerrado, young males

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By Brasilia e o Bicho Reply

[Balam]

From the documentary: Age of Big Cats
Very strange behavior witnessed, where a large male made a kill and unrelated females from the territory he governs gathered around it to feed on it, showcasing that these cats are more social than what many believe.
Taken in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

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*This image is copyright of its original author

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[Sully]

Fascinating stuff, behaviour like your typical lion pride. I think we will learn more and more about how social pumas really are and big cats in general. I wonder if this has any relation to the more open terrain, as the current theory on lion prides is they formed to access and defend prime real estate in savannah's around confluences. Reply

[Balam]

Cerrado 
Large male

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By Leonardo Duarte Reply

[Balam]

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Paulo Behar Reply

[Balam]

El Nogalar de Los Toldos, Argentinian Yungas

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By Red Yaguarete Reply