The puma is the second largest cat in the Americas. This cat, thanks to its high adaptability, is present in various biomes from the north to the south of the continent, able to live in both dense forests and in the outskirts of urban areas.
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The puma is the terrestrial species with the widest geographical distribution in the Americas, occurring from Canada to Chile, including all of Brazil. It is one of the most well adapted cats in the new world, able to dwell in various types of environments throughout the continent.
The puma can measure up to 1.5 meters (excluding the tail) and weigh between 53 and 72 kilograms, although there are records of males weighing over 110 kilograms. The species varies in weight and size distribution. Populations of the extremes of the continent (Chile and Canada) contain larger and more robust animals, weighing 75 kilograms on average. The pumas found in tropical populations, on the other hand, tend to be smaller, weighing approximately 50 kilograms. Their coat color varies from light gray to brown-red. After the jaguar, it is the second largest cat in the Americas.
Pumas, like most cats, are both crepuscular and nocturnal animals. They are more active in the late afternoon and overnight. They are solitary, opportunistic animals, taking advantage of any chance to feed.
The puma is a strictly carnivorous predator. However, the species has one of the most wide-ranging appetites among the cats, and, in the absence of large prey, pumas will eat a variety of animals including lizards, birds and insects.
The puma’s slaughter tactics are different from those of the jaguar. It usually kills by biting the neck of the victims, thereby choking them. In most cases, they begin to eat around the area of the ribs and belly (visceral) and when they are satisfied, they hide the carcass with leaves, earth, and branches to return to feed on again the next day.
The gestation period varies between 82 and 98 days, after which the puma may give birth to between one and six cubs, usually giving birth to three per litter. The cubs are born weighing approximately 400 grams each with spots on their coat, in a different pattern to that found in the more uniform color of the adults. The spots remain until four months of age, and then begin to fade.
Mothers care for their young for the first year, after which point they become independent and start to seek their own territory.
Considered “vulnerable” according to the national list of the ICMBio, and “low concern” by the IUCN, the species is suffering a population decline due to different factors such as: sport or preventative hunting; hunting for retaliation against the predation of domestic animals; habitat loss and fragmentation; and road kill.
Puma ni paka wa pili kwa ukubwa katika mabara ya Amerika. Kwa sababu ya uwezo wake wa kubadilika, paka huyu anaishi katika maeneo mbalimbali kuanzia kaskazini hadi kusini mwa bara hilo, na anaweza kuishi katika misitu mikubwa na pia kwenye mipaka ya miji. Puma ni aina ya wanyama wa nchi kavu wenye kuenea kwa wingi katika Amerika, kutoka Canada hadi Chile, ikiwa ni pamoja na Brazil yote. Ni moja ya paka waliobadilika vizuri zaidi katika ulimwengu mpya, na wanaweza kuishi katika aina mbalimbali za mazingira katika bara. Puma inaweza kupima hadi mita 1.5 (bila mkia) na uzito kati ya 53 na 72 kg, ingawa kuna rekodi za wanaume wenye uzito wa zaidi ya 110 kg. Spishi hizo hutofautiana kwa uzito na ukubwa. Katika maeneo ya mbali ya bara (Chile na Canada) kuna wanyama wakubwa na wenye nguvu zaidi, wenye uzito wa wastani wa kilogramu 75. Puma wa kitropiki ni wadogo sana, na wanalinganisha uzito wa kilo 50. Rangi ya manyoya yao hutofautiana kutoka kijivu-nyeupe hadi rangi nyekundu-kahawia. Baada ya jaguar, ni paka wa pili kwa ukubwa katika mabara ya Amerika. Puma, kama paka wengi, ni wanyama wanaofanya kazi wakati wa mapambazuko na usiku. Wao hufanya kazi zaidi mwishoni mwa alasiri na usiku. Wao ni wanyama wa pekee, wenye kutumia fursa, wakitumia nafasi yoyote ya kula. Puma ni mnyama anayekula nyama tu. Hata hivyo, aina hii ina hamu kubwa ya chakula miongoni mwa paka, na, kwa kukosekana kwa mawindo makubwa, puma watakula wanyama mbalimbali ikiwa ni pamoja na mbawakawa, ndege na wadudu. Mbinu za puma za kuchinjwa ni tofauti na zile za jaguar. Kwa kawaida huua kwa kuuma shingo ya waathiriwa, na hivyo kuwafunga. Katika visa vingi, wao huanza kula karibu na eneo la mbavu na tumbo (visceral) na wanapokamilika, huficha mnyama huyo kwa majani, udongo, na matawi ili warudi kula tena siku inayofuata. Kipindi cha ujauzito ni kati ya siku 82 na 98, baada ya hapo puma huweza kuzaa watoto kati ya mmoja na sita, kwa kawaida watoto watatu kwa kila kitanda. Watoto hao huzaliwa wakiwa na uzito wa gramu 400 hivi kila mmoja na madoa kwenye manyoya yao, kwa muundo tofauti na ule unaopatikana katika rangi ya kawaida ya watu wazima. Madoa hayo hubaki hadi mtoto anapokuwa na umri wa miezi minne, kisha huanza kufifia. Mama huwatunza watoto wao kwa mwaka wa kwanza, kisha wanakuwa huru na kuanza kutafuta eneo lao wenyewe. "Kulingana na orodha ya kitaifa ya ICBM na ""wasiwasi mdogo"" na IUCN, spishi hiyo inakabiliwa na kupungua kwa idadi ya watu kwa sababu ya sababu tofauti kama vile: mchezo au uwindaji wa kuzuia; uwindaji kwa kulipiza kisasi dhidi ya wanyama wa nyumbani; upotezaji wa makazi na kugawanyika; na mauaji ya barabara. """