Puma on a Guanaco carcass in Chile’s Patagonia. We had been following this female Puma in on a plateaux in Chile’s Patagonia for quite some time and it was windy and cold. We had seen her try and fail to take a Guanaco. Suddenly she set off and ended up on an old and mostly eaten Guanaco carcass. She obviously knew where it was – perhaps it was one of her own kills from sometime ago. The Puma gnawed away at the leg of the Guanaco for a long time. There did not seem to be much meat left on it. The Puma finally gave up the search for meat and wandered off.
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.”
To watch this Puma on a Guanaco carcass in Patagonia allows one to appreciate this magnificent big cat at one with its environment.