We spent yesterday at the beautiful Saguaro National Park, and, while there, heard a fascinating lecture given by a guide about our big aunties in the desert, the Puma concolor, also known as a Mountain Lion, or a Cougar – now also named, by Jeoffry, as the Dawas of the Desert.
We learned how pumas find and stalk their prey – much like we do, advancing by moving back paws up to front paws so as to not make a sound! And how they find their home territory, mate, and raise their young. And we learned what sounds they make and don’t – no crazy screaming! They actually make the same sounds domestic cats do: hissing, growling, and clicking their teeth together, even purring. Big cats are so similar to small cats, just with about 100 times the power and speed! And we learned how dangerous being a predator can be – we couldn’t stop thinking of Dawa!
People always think these big cats are a threat to humans, but it’s actually not true. Statistically only one human is killed by a wild cat about every five years in North America. The four-legged mammal who is actually the most dangerous to people is – believe it or not – a deer. Not that deer are vicious predators hunting humans while they’re picnicking or anything horror-movie-esque like that, but because they can’t see cars, and they either run into cars or cars run into them. They end up killing an estimated 120 people per year in the U.S. this way. Mountain lions are not interested in bothering humans, and, unless they are very hungry or somehow feel threatened by you, will be happy leaving you alone. But deer is their primary prey. A deer or a moose can feed a mother puma and her cubs for about a week. Animal biologists have found that whenever the population of apex predators – pumas, or wolves – is low, the entire ecosystem is thrown out of balance, meaning more deer who cause the aforesaid problems to humans as well as those lower on the food chain by eating their vegetation. So, support your local apex predator for a healthy ecosystem!
But also, support your local apex predator just because they’re majestic, awe-inspiring animals 🙂
Above photo from National Park Service.
