The Felidae family, which constitutes the various felines, is a group of really beautiful animals, which also have generally surprising characteristics in terms of their ability to move, agility and hunting strategies. Within this group we find the cougars (Puma concolor), which are grouped in the Felinae subfamily that they share with leopards and different types of cats, among others.
Unfortunately, various felines have been suffering the impact of human activities, so in this article on our site we want you to know if the puma is in danger of extinctionand what threats the species faces. Dare to continue reading to know this data and what conservation plans exist.
How many cougars are left in the world?
The cougar is a species of feline native to the American continent that traditionally has a very wide distribution, which ranges from Canada to the southern Argentina and Chile. This wide range, in fact, defines it as the land mammal that has the greatest expansion in the aforementioned continent. However, as we will see later, this distribution has changed.
The above is then related to its presence in a diversity of habitats and, although it has a preference for dense forests, it can be found in any type of these plant formations, as well as in mountainous desert areas, lowlands and high, because it even reaches up to 5,800 meters above sea level in the Andes region.
Now, in relation to the population data of the species, one of the most reliable sources in this regard is the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), on which we base ourselves to present some figures. However, reports are lacking in recent years on pumas and in certain large areas such as the Amazon, the number of these felines that may exist is unknown. Pumas have had a variable population density depending on the region. Next, let's look at some examples of how the different types of cougar were distributed according to certain reports in the past. Starting with United States, the figures collected are as follows:
- Utah: 1 in 200 km2 (report taken in 1984)
- Washington: 5 in 100 km2 (report taken in 2008)
- Idaho: 1 in 100 km2 (report extracted in 2003)
In the rest of America, the following data was obtained:
- Peru: 2 in 100 km2 (report taken in 1990)
- Patagonia: 6 in 100 km2 (report taken in 1999)
- Pantanal: 4 in 100 km2 (report taken in 1996)
- Belize: 4 in 100 km2 (report taken in 2008)
- Argentina: 1 in 100 km2 (report taken in 2008)
- Bolivia: 7 in 100 km2 (report taken in 2008)
- West of Mexico: 4 in 100 km2 (report taken in 1998)
On the other hand, in 1990, between 3,500 and 5,000 cougars were estimated in Canada, while for the western United States, it was estimated that there were around 10,000 cougars. In Central and South America it is quite likely that there are many more cougars, but there are no estimates in this regard.
Puma conservation status
The last update from the IUCN regarding the conservation status of the cougar was in 2014 and it was classified in the category of least concern because, although it has been totally eliminated from the midwestern and eastern United States, it still has a wide distribution range. Therefore, the cougar is not in danger of extinction However, the general population trend is considered to be in decline
In addition to its general category, in certain countries it has been granted a particular conservation status, for example, in Brazil it is considered near threatened, but in regions outside the Amazon it is reported as vulnerable. For its part, in Argentina, Colombia and Peru it is in the category of almost threatened, while in Chile there is not enough data. These are all the same categories that the IUCN establishes for species globally.
Cougar Threats
Although the puma is not considered to be in danger of extinction, over time, the puma has faced various threats that have impacted its population levels to the point of having made it completely disappear from certain areas, mainly to the north of the American continent. Among these factors, we can mention:
- Habitat alteration and fragmentation: despite being a species with good adaptability, there are always limits in relation to this aspect. Many areas have been urbanized or various types of infrastructure have been built, as well as deforested spaces for agricultural and livestock development.
- Poaching and sport hunting: This has undoubtedly been one of the main causes that can lead the puma to extinction. On the one hand, pressure on the animal was already reported since European colonization, but over time this aspect was maintained. The unacceptable activity known as sport hunting is legal in certain areas of the United States and the cougar is one of the victims of it. In addition, in some cases these cats have attacked people and farm animals, so there has also been a retaliatory hunt for these animals.
- Killing: Especially in areas with highway development in the United States, run over by cougars are frequent, since they are animals very active. This threat also influences its population decline.
- Isolation: urban and highway development also exerts negative pressure, in the sense that in many cases it does not allow natural dispersal of this animal, so it is confined to certain areas.
Puma conservation plans
There are formal actions of plans for the conservation of the puma, however, there are others that are not generalized, but that would be necessary to implement through the policies of the various countries.
Formal conservation plans
Within the conservation plans that are being implemented, we find:
- The species is included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in its appendix II, which states that, although a species is not in danger of extinction, is subject to regulations for the protection
- The subspecies are included in Appendix I of CITES, which refers to the illegal trade in species in danger of extinction.
- The puma is a protected animal in many of the countries where it lives. Therefore, currently, although with very few exceptions, hunting is illegal.
Required Conservation Plans
Despite the above, more plans still need to be implemented to prevent the cougar from going extinct:
- Studies are required to determine the current numbers of the various cougar subpopulations, mainly in those areas where there are no estimates.
- The educational plans must be officially implemented in areas associated with the habitat of this feline.
- It is necessary to develop strategies that minimize conflicts between pumas and people.
Also, in this other article we explain what you can do to protect this and other animals: "How to protect animals in danger of extinction?"
