Cougars as Ecosystem Engineers: Great Interview
A review of an interview with two biologists who found that the large pieces of meat left behind by pumas benefits an astonishing variety of species.
Category: Science
Mountain Lions are Expanding their Range Eastwards
Many months ago, I wrote a post about the remarkable journey of the Connecticut Cat: a mountain lion (Puma concolor; cougar; puma), that traveled over 2,700 km from the Black…
Studying Surplus Killing by Pumas
Introduction One of the challenges to conserving big cats, and indeed many animals, is human-wildlife conflict. This is a complex phenomenon that can involve many different social, economic, and other…
New Study: Mapping Threats to Jaguars in the Gran Chaco
I am happy to share another study about a region I know little about: The Gran Chaco. The Gran Chaco is a massive plain that encompasses north-central Argentina, western Paraguay,…
Puma-Livestock Conflicts in Central Argentina
One of the most noteworthy facts about pumas (Puma concolor, mountain lions, cougars) is that their range extends from Canada to Argentina (Nielsen, Thompson, Kelly, & Lopez-Gonzalez, 2015). Unfortunately, I…
New Study Explores the Range Collapse of Asiatic Cheetahs
Introduction The Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) is in dire straits. There may be as few as 50 individuals left, placing this Critically Endangered subspecies on the brink of extinction.…
When the Cat’s Away: Pumas in the Eastern United States – Part 1
Introduction The following is a guest post from Jessica Turner, whom you may remember from this Q&A. It is the first installment in a two-part series about pumas (Puma concolor)…
The Complexities of Perceptions about Jaguars’ Impacts on Human Livelihoods
Introduction Drs. Silvio Marchini and David Macdonald have just released a fascinating new study about the human dimensions of jaguar (Panthera onca) conservation in Brazil. Long-time readers of The Jaguar and…
The Jaguar 