Magellanic penguins have become a new food source for pumas in Argentina, following the large cats' return to Patagonia. Historically, European sheep herders eliminated predators from the region, allowing penguins to thrive. However, with the establishment of Monte León National Park in 2004, pumas have started to rebound and now gather near seasonal penguin colonies to hunt.
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Research published on December 17 in the journal *Proceedings of the Royal Society B* indicates that pumas have changed their behavior in response to the presence of penguins. Scientists, led by study co-author Emiliano Donadio of Fundación Rewilding Argentina, utilized GPS collars on 14 pumas and set up 32 wildlife cameras to monitor the predators' movements from September 2019 to December 2023.
The study revealed that pumas reduced their territories during the penguins' breeding season but expanded them when the penguins returned to sea. Approximately 13 pumas per 39 square miles were documented in the area, the highest density ever recorded for a single site, suggesting increased interactions between the cats during this time.
Donadio noted that the presence of abundant and easy prey leads to greater tolerance among mountain lions, contrary to their reputation as solitary and aggressive animals. The findings illustrate how adaptable large carnivores can be in changing environments.
The long-term impact of these predation patterns on the penguin population remains uncertain, although surveys indicate that the penguin numbers are still increasing. The study highlights the complexities involved in reintroducing species and suggests that ecosystems can evolve differently from their historic states.