The famous Hollywood sign that rises on Mount Lee in Los Angeles (EU), receives daily visits of thousands of tourists who pose for the cameras looking for the best picture to hang on your social networks. But they are not the only ones who walk by. A study published in PLoS ONE reveals that the pumas (Puma concolor) hunt near human settlements of Los Angeles, one of the only large cities inhabited these predatory cats.
The authors, researchers from the University of California, conducted field observations and used GPS collars to track 26 technology Cougars around the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles.
Although the results show that both males and females tend to hunt near human populations, females are those that come closest, reaching less than two kilometers. Males, however, prefer to take advantage of the deers that live near streams and rivers forests.
The authors suggest that females choose to hunt in more developed parts as a strategy to avoid encounters with aggressive males areas.
The choice of hunting grounds reflects areas where prey are more abundant. The main prey of mountain lions, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is attracted by the water fountains and lush vegetation, as well as pools and gardens cultivated in human populations.
This approach Deer cities causes Cougars go in search and enter populations.
The authors suggest that the hunting patterns of these cats reflect the balance between an aversion to areas of human settlement and an attraction to take advantage of these rich environments.
Understanding how the big cats interact with the development of human populations help, according to research, planning strategies for the conservation of this species.
