Puma density, habitat use and conflict with humans in the ArgentineChaco

VERÓNICA QUIROGA; ANDREW J. NOSS; AGUSTÍN PAVIOLO; GABRIEL BOAGLIO; MARIO S. DI BITETTI

JOURNAL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION

ELSEVIER GMBH

Año: 2016 vol. 31 p. 9 - 15

1617-1381

tThe puma Puma concolor is the most widely distributed felid in the Americas. Although it utilizes human-modified landscapes, its extensive territorial requirements, trophic needs, and real or perceived threats tolivestock render the puma susceptible to conflict with humans. Our objectives were to evaluate the popu-lation density, habitat use, and puma-human conflict in the Argentine Chaco. We conducted camera-trapsurveys and interviews over a three-year period, at three sites with different levels of legal protection andwith different ranch outpost and livestock densities: Copo National Park (1204 trap days, 24 stations, 17 interviews, national park, lowest ranch/livestock density), Aborigen Reserve (1993 trap days, 29 stations,13 interviews, indigenous reserve, medium ranch/livestock density) and El Cantor (2129 trap days, 35stations, 11 interviews, no protection, highest ranch/livestock density). Puma population density waslow (