Diet of puma (Puma concolor) in sheep ranches of central Patagonia (Argentina)

Abstract

Sheep depredation by puma (Puma concolor) is a socio-environmental problem that has intensified in recentdecades in Patagonia. A bounty system to control this carnivore is implemented in Chubut province (centralPatagonia), whereas alternative measures to mitigate the conflict are still in progress. A common recommendationto limit livestock depredation by large carnivores is to maintain suitable levels of wild preypopulations. To evaluate the applicability of this recommendation, we examined the puma diet in ranches of thenortheastern of Chubut. We analyzed the stomach and intestinal contents of 21 pumas hunted under provinciallegislation. The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) represented around 75% of the total biomass consumed. Sheep was thesecond prey in relevance, but their contribution to the diet was four times lower than the guanaco. Our resultsemphasize the role of this large native ungulate as main prey and its potential relevance as a buffer againstpredation on sheep. This study provides information that could be useful for preventive management of livestockpredation in Patagonia.