The Elephant in the room: What can we learn from California regarding the use of sport hunting of pumas (Puma concolor) as a management tool?

Effects of hunting on mating, relatedness, and genetic diversity in a puma population

Hunting mortality can affect population abundance, demography, patterns of dispersal and philopatry, breeding, and genetic diversity. We investigated the effects of hunting on the reproduction and genetic diversity in a puma population in western Colorado, USA. We genotyped over 11,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), using double-digest, restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) in 291 tissue samples collected as part of a study on the effects of hunting on puma population abundance and demography in Colorado from 2004 to 2014. The study was designed with a reference period (years 1-5), during which hunting was suspended, followed by a treatment period (years 6-10), in which hunting was reinstated. Our objectives were to examine the effects of hunting on: (1) paternity and male reproductive success; (2) the relatedness between pumas within the population, and (3) genetic diversity. We found that hunting reduced the average age of male breeders. The number of unique fathers siring litters increased each year without hunting and decreased each year during the hunting period. Mated pairs were generally unrelated during both time periods, and females were more closely related than males. Hunting was also associated with increased relatedness among males and decreased relatedness among females in the population. Finally, genetic diversity increased during the period without hunting and decreased each year when hunting was present. This study demonstrates the utility of merging demographic data with large-scale genomic datasets in order to better understand the consequences of management actions. Specifically, we believe that this study highlights the need for long-term experimental research in which hunting mortality is manipulated, including at least one non-harvested control population, as part of a broader adaptive, zone management scheme.

Puma (Puma concolor) in the Neighborhood? Records Near Human Settlements and Insights into Human-Carnivore Coexistence in Central Chile

Simple Summary

The presence of carnivores near human settlements is a poorly studied topic that generates concern and perception of risk in some human communities, especially for medium to large felids. Apart from the conflict of the potential predation of livestock, there is the insecurity perception of a potential attack on people. To gain a better understanding of how, when, and how close pumas approached human settlements, we analyze 51 puma records near populated areas over eight years in central Chile. The results show that pumas approached human-populated areas; in 23.5% of the records pumas are found between 0 and 999 m from the nearest human settlement, 25.5% are between 1000 and 4999 m, and 51% are over 5000 m. We associate puma records with landscape features, such as mountain ranges, land-use, road, and urban infrastructure; and based on previous knowledge of puma biology, behavior, and habitat preference, we identify their area of occupation and the potential biological corridor used for their movements from the Andes Range to the coast. Our results show the adaptability of pumas to human-dominated landscapes, and their capacity to overcome landscape barriers, such as human infrastructure, contributing to a better understanding of the population dynamics in the study area. Studies on human–carnivore coexistence, through formulas that consider local realities and the reduction of implicit risks for humans, are urgently needed, both globally and locally, and likely the only way to secure the long-term conservation of pumas in human-dominated landscapes.

Abstract

The wildland–urban interface lies at the confluence of human-dominated and wild landscapes—creating a number of management and conservation challenges. Wildlife sightings near human settlements have appeared to increase in the last years. This article reports 51 records of presences, sightings, and livestock attacks of Puma concolor, a large-sized felid, collected from 2012 to 2020 across the O’Higgins region in central Chile. Puma records were concentrated in the east of the region in the Andes Range and foothills (90%). The number of puma records is higher in the last four to six years than in previously studied years. Of the 51 records, 23.5% are between 0 and 999 m from the nearest human settlement (classified as very close), 25.5% are between 1000 and 4999 m (moderately close), and 51% are over 5000 m (distant). Most of the sightings are recorded in the summer (35%) and spring (29%). We identify an area of approximately 9000 km² of suitable habitat as the most probable corridor effectively connecting pumas moving between eastern and western areas, encompassing the Angostura de Paine mountain range. Our results contribute to the understanding of the presence and movements of P. concolor near urban areas and human settlements, confirming their persistence in and adaptation to human-dominated landscapes. We also provide insights into human–carnivore coexistence in the current global context in the densely populated central Chile.