Scientific name: Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771)

Common name: Puma in Brazil: Suçuarana, onça-parda, onça-vermelha );

Behavior: crepuscular-nocturnal (mainly) and diurnal, terrestrial, solitary;

Habitat: savanna, dry shrubland, savanna wetland, but mainly in tropical and subtropical forests (including riverine forests), both primary and secondary.

Diet: Carnivore, mainly small vertebrates: rodents, birds and lizards, but they can feed on larger animals like deer and hog.

Geographic distribution: from west of Canada to the extreme south of the South-American continent (except the Andes). They occur in all regions in Brazil, with the exception of the south of Rio Grande do Sul.

Breeding: gestation period is 70 to 90 days, the average litter is 2 (1-6).

Description: The second largest feline species in Brazil. The body is long and slim, with an average length of 108 cm (90-153 cm), and a long tail averaging 61cm (46-81 cm). Adult males are heavier (55-65kg) than females (35-45 kg). The coat is uniformly colored, ranging from light yellow to dark reddish-brown. Kitten coat is quite dense, with round dark spots that disappear when they reach six months of age.

Status: On IBAMA’s Official List of Endangered Brazilian Mammals, CITES appendix II;

Main Threats: Altered habitat, scarce prey availability. Ranchers tend to consider pumas as a threat to livestock. Pumas are vulnerable because they return to their kills, which can be poisoned.