Dietary patterns of a versatile large carnivore, the puma (Puma concolor).

ABSTRACT: Large carnivores play critical roles in terrestrial ecosystems but have suffered dramatic range contractions over the past two centuries. Developing an accurate understanding of large carnivore diets is an important first step towards an improved understanding of their ecological roles and addressing the conservation challenges faced by these species.The puma is one of seven large felid species in the world and the only one native to the non-tropical regions of the New World. We conducted a meta-analysis of puma diets across the species' range in the Americas and assessed the impact of varying environmental conditions, niche roles, and human activity on puma diets. Pumas displayed remarkable dietary flexibility, consuming at least 232 different prey species, including one Critically Endang

SUBMITTER: Karandikar H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9240727 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature