Chile Forum

On SAG's official webpage, they have some photos that alternate in the header. One of those photos is of a montain lion (Puma).

In one of the threads here someone said that there are no large preditors in Chile. (I couldn't find that again if I had to).

So. Are there mountain lions in Chile? If there are no mountain lions, why are they featured on SAG's web page? I assume to represent SAG's jurisdiction over wildlife. They wouldn't have jurisdiction over an animal that doesn't exist.

Thanks

oregon woodsmoke wrote:
So. Are there mountain lions in Chile? If there are no mountain lions, why are they featured on SAG's web page? I assume to represent SAG's jurisdiction over wildlife. They wouldn't have jurisdiction over an animal that doesn't exist.

Thanks

Mountain lions might be seen in Andeans and Pre-andeans areas ,-Parque Nacional El Lauca, Torres del Paine, etc., They are probably the largest predators in Chile. They do exist. I do not know if they are "protected" species.

yea, there was one hit by a car and killed in the center of Temuco a few years ago, and they live in a very small national park that is basically in the center of Temuco.

I would not call them "large" predators being from the western U.S.

I think my house cat has killed larger rats.

They are about half the size of mountain lions in the U.S. or Canada. They are proportional to the native deer.

Personally, I would be more concerned about running in to a wild boar in the South of Chile.

They are protected animals, very protected.

None native species like the wild boar and the large red deer in the Patagonia where introduced by Argentinians for hunting. They have no season and no limit.

Pumas, larger than the little house-cat size ones roaming around Temuco, are alive and well (and well fed) in region 10. Last year a large puma was spotted crossing the Puente El Azul on the Austral just outside of Futa. Farm families around La Junta expect to lose several sheep each year to pumas...just a cost of doing business there. They are very elusive and usually stay way up in the mountains. Wild boar hunting is a wild thing, and they get HUGE! El Barranco Lodge in Futa has a head mount of one that weighed 320 kilos. They too stay high up, coming down to lower elevations only when snows get heavy.

Vicki???

Is that you?

Are you alive?

in the mountains, Vicki says,
in the mountains puma stays..

grow, grow mountain cat
grow puma thick and fat..

No longer relevant

I was told that a cougar was poaching some of the herds near Cerro Tololo. The terrain there is a perfect habitat for these big cats.

admin wrote:Vicki???

Is that you?

Are you alive?

What is left of me.

Vicki and Greg Lansen wrote:

admin wrote:Vicki???
Is that you?
Are you alive?

What is left of me.

I hope you're only jesting, Vicki! Are you alright?

No mountain lion attacks here RWS...just a little frazzled from winter and what passes for Spring here. It is kind of you to ask. Ever onward!

Vicki