A Puma explores her territory in a snow-covered Patagonia. It was a cold and windy day and there was still plenty of snow on the ground in Chile’s Patagonia when we found this gorgeous female Puma. As she wandered around she sniffed at many grassy tussocks and bushes checking for other Pumas. Perhaps she was following the scent of another cat, may be a male? We were able to follow her for quite some distance before she headed up a steep slope and vanished over the ridge. This is what we had hoped for from our trip to Patagonia: watching as a Puma explores her territory in a snow-covered Patagonia.
The Puma, also known as the Cougar or Mountain Lion in other parts of The Americas, is a remarkable apex predator found in Patagonia, where it inhabits a diverse range of ecosystems from mountainous terrains to grasslands. Key features of the puma include its sleek, muscular body, long tail, and short, rounded ears, which contribute to its agility and excellent climbing ability. Females can reach up to 2m in length from nose to tail and weigh up to 64kg, whilst males are up to 2.4m in length and weigh up to 100kg. Its coat is typically a tawny or greyish colour, providing effective camouflage in the rocky and scrubby landscapes of Patagonia. Pumas are solitary animals, primarily active during dawn and dusk, and are known for their stealth and hunting prowess, preying on a variety of wildlife, including Guanacos and deer.
I find this quote cited in Jim Williams’ book Path of the Puma captures the essence of this superb big cat. ”A long and limber tail, the better to balance in uneven terrain. A short gut, the better to process meat proteins. Eyes with more rods than cones, the better to see in the dark of dawn and dusk. A skull that positions the eyes right up front, the better to see with stereoscopic vision, giving the cats greater depth of field. Paws with furry covering and retractable claws, the better to stalk silent along a path. Tightly coiled muscle, the better to spring straight from a standstill to a sprint, quick as lightning. Longer rear legs than front legs, the better to leap through steep and broken country. A flexible spine, the better to remain agile in rocky mountain topography.”