Big cats are still walking in El Salvador: first photographic records of Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) and an overview of historical records in the country

By

Morales-Rivas, Andrea
Álvarez, Francisco S.
Pocasangre-Orellana, Xochilt
Girón, Luis.
Guerra, Gloria N.
Martínez, Reynaldo
Domínguez, Juan Pablo
Leibl, Franz
Heibl, Christoph

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020-5-13

Original Publication

Check list : journal of species lists and distribution

Volume

16

Series / Issue

Issue: 3

Pages

563--570

Subjects

camera trap , Central America , Cougar , Distribution , Mammals , Montecristo , Río Sapo

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

[São Paulo, Brazil] Luís Felipe Toledo 2005-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15560/16.3.563

 

Abstract

The presence of Puma, Puma concolor, has been controversial in El Salvador due to the lack of published, verifiable data. We surveyed 119 sites in Montecristo National Park and 17 sites in the Río Sapo basin using wildlife cameras. We detected Pumas in both areas, representing the first photographic records for El Salvador. We call for a national Puma conservation strategy with research in basic ecology and migration corridors, regulation of hunting, management of livestock losses, and public acceptance programs. The Río Sapo basin should be granted formal protection.