Scavenging Behavior in Puma

Scavenging on sea turtle carcasses by multiple Jaguars in northwestern Costa Rica

“…Scavenging by species of cats (Felidae) has rarely been reported, and most long-term studies suggest that they prefer eating their own kills (DeVault et al 2003;Bauer et al 2005;Cavalcanti and Gese 2010). Wild felids are more obligate hunters and consume less carrion compared with canids, hyenids, ursids or mustelids .…”

“…Of the 12 species of American wild cats, only two species (cougars Puma concolor and jaguars Panthera onca) have been recorded scavenging (Ross and Jalkotzy 1996;Bauer et al 2005;Castañeda et al 2013). In cougars the behavior where several individuals share carcasses has been widely documented (Ross and Jalkotzy 1996;Bauer et al 2005;Bacon and Boyce 2010;Knopff et al 2010).…”

“…In cougars the behavior where several individuals share carcasses has been widely documented (Ross and Jalkotzy 1996;Bauer et al 2005;Bacon and Boyce 2010;Knopff et al 2010). But, information on scavenging by jaguars is scarce, scattered, and little documented in the scientific literature.…”

Acute Lead Toxicosis via Ingestion of Spent Ammunition in a Free-Ranging Cougar (Puma concolor)

“…Ingestion of a large quantity in one or two feedings seems most plausible since ingestion of small amounts of lead at a time should have resulted in passing of the lead through the gastrointestinal tract. Free-ranging cougars are known to consume large quantities during an individual feeding event, known as gorging (Danvir and Lindzey, 1981), and frequently employ scavenging as a feeding strategy (Bauer et al, 2005).…”

Scavenging of an Elk, <em>Cervus elaphus</em>, Carcass by Multiple Cougars, <em>Puma concolor</em>, in Southeastern Alberta

“…However, a few observations of Cougar scavenging have been reported, including an adult female scavenging on Elk (Cervus elaphus) carcasses during a 22-day period in northeast Oregon (Nowak et al 2000). More recently, Bauer et al (2005) reported 20 of 46 (43.5%) Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionius) carcasses they placed out as bait in California were scavenged by Cougars. Knopff et al (2010) reported that the tendency for Cougars to scavenge in west-central Alberta is high, making them vulnerable to baited snares along traplines set for Wolves (Canis lupus) or Coyotes (Canis latrans); incidental snaring was responsible for 11% of Cougar mortalities during their four-year study.…”