The Ecological Role of Pumas

Mark Elbroch works to mitigate human-carnivore conflict through research and education, with the goal of providing the data needed to fight old mythology that perpetuates fear of large carnivores. His latest study suggests that food provided by pumas may be vital to the maintenance and diversity of scavenger and decomposer communities in Patagonia and elsewhere.

Read the original research that appeared in Biology Letters (PDF download, less than 0.5 MB)

What is it like to track and tag mountain lions?  Listen to Mark tell how he and his team tracked a mountain lion and her kittens on Thanksgiving Day in November 2011.