IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Haines, A.M. | |
| Is there competition between sympatric jaguar _Panthera onca_ and puma _Puma concolor_? | |
| 2006 Acta Zoologica Sinica (52): 1142-1147 | |
The jaguar _Panthera onca _and puma _Puma concolor_ are large felids that coexist throughout Central and most of South America. Studies have tested theories of coexistence of sympatric jaguar and puma. By reviewing the scientific literature, I assessed whether habitat or prey are partitioned between sympatric jaguar and puma, and hypothesized that puma in the tropics have a smaller body size to select smaller prey items to minimize competition with jaguar. Studies support the concept of mutual spatial avoidance between jaguar and puma, whereas results of prey partitioning between jaguar and puma are conflicting. Despite these relationships, the scientific literature suggests that smaller puma in the Neotropics may simply reflect the fact that they have evolved to concentrate on smaller prey species regardless of competition with jaguar. However, anthropogenic impacts can cause changes between jaguar and puma coexistence. The jaguar may suffer from declining prey populations caused by humans because of predator/prey relationships in Neotropical environments and jaguar dependence on Neotropical prey species. However, the puma may fare better under anthropogenic conditions by sustaining itself on smaller or more diverse prey species. |
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