"Deer-vehicle collisions are one example of this where puma recolonization is associated with reductions in economic losses, injuries, and lives lost."Ĭhristian Hunt, of the Defenders of Wildlife Southeast Field Office, also highlighted benefits of protecting mountain lion populations. "Pumas are charismatic and are certainly culturally important across the Americas-but they also provide ecosystem services to people that directly benefit our health and economies," LaBarge said. Among them were a reduction in traffic accidents and economic benefits associated with this, because mountain lions help regulate the number of deer or other animals often linked to collisions. The study also said pumas can be beneficial to human beings. "If pumas eventually expanded into more of their former range in the Midwest and the eastern portion of North America in sufficient numbers, we might expect them to scare deer away from places that are good for ambush hunting which could result in a reduction in deer overgrazing plant communities," LaBarge said. In the U.S., for example, a future expansion of puma beyond their current range in the western states would help manage the sometimes adverse impacts of one of their key prey-deer. Increasing puma numbers that could be spurred on by conservation or rewilding efforts would have beneficial impacts on ecosystems. Despite their fearsome reputation, new research shows pumas bring benefits to human populations. "Declines in these species would have cascading impacts on biodiversity, nutrient spread and availability, as well as disease transmission related to lingering waste products."Ī puma is seen on the streets of Santiago, Chile. "Those impacts would be seen in the abundance and distribution of carrion-dependent insects, like carrion beetles, birds like caracaras and eagles, and mammals as well, as they are all shaped by apex carnivores that provide carcasses. "I expect the biggest impacts would be felt by scavengers and carrion-dependent species," he told Newsweek. Mark Elboch, study co-author and Director of Puma Program at Panthera, said that a loss of puma numbers in any given habitat would have knock-on effects. If their numbers were to decline in any of these places, the surrounding ecosystems would be directly impacted. Pumas live in habitats across the Americas, from the to the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains, to the jungles of Bolivia and Brazil. "In North America, in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, for example, 11 per cent of local bird species-including some songbirds-feed on puma kills." Andean Condors are one example of scavengers that are dependent on South American pumas. Lead author Laura LaBarge, postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz, Germany, told Newsweek: "What's surprising is the range of species that benefit from feeding on puma kills. They found mountain lions interact with almost 500 species-which is believed to be more relationships than any other carnivore in the world. They found mountain lions, also known as pumas, interact with hundreds of species and play a direct role in balancing various habitats as "ecological brokers" across the Americas. Emaciated Mountain Lion Killed after Entering Lobby of Colorado Condo.Mountain Lion Seen Feasting on Pet Chicken at Family Home In California.Mountain Lion Spotted near California High School.Video Shows Hiker Who Roared to Scare Off Mountain Lion Stalking Him.
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