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Movements and Home Range of Jaguars (Panthera onca) and Mountain Lions (Puma concolor) in a Tropical Dry Forest of Western Mexico

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Movement Ecology of Neotropical Forest Mammals

Abstract

This survey was carried between years 2000 and 2003 in the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve in western Mexico. The objective of this study was to determine how two species of Neotropical carnivores move and use the landscape. Six jaguars and three pumas were fitted with VHF radio collars. The home range of the felines was determined by the minimum convex polygon at 95% and the core area at 50%. The movements were defined as the distance traveled daily. On average, male jaguars (n = 2) maintained an annual home range of 100.3 ± 15.0 km2, the male puma (n = 3) home range averaged 83 ± 10.3 km2, and the jaguar females (n = 4) of 42.5 ± 16 km2. Home ranges were divided in two ways, the dry season and the rainy season. Concerning movement patterns, the male puma moved an average of 2137 ± 1402 m per day in the dry season and 2898 ± 1688 in the rainy season. Male jaguars traveled on average 2673 ± 1606 m daily in the dry season and 2766 ± 1973 m in the rainy season. Female jaguars moved in a period of 24 h an average of 2063 ± 1402 m in dry and 1959 ± 1895 m in the rainy season. Jaguars and pumas showed preference for streams to travel throughout the study area. Seasonality has an effect on home range size of felines. The results highlight the importance of including spatial requirements and movements in the design of protected natural areas. As key and indicator species, it is essential to identify how much space they require and how they use it.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank to Goldsmith Family for their interest and logistic and economic support for this project. Thanks to Efren Campos, Alvaro Miranda and Marciano Valtierra of Cuixmala Ecological Foundation for their support. Thanks to Denver Zoo Foundation, and Chamela Biological Station (National University of Mexico) by funding and logistic support provided to perform this study. SEMARNAT (environmental agency) granted permits for capturing the jaguars and pumas. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assisted with the telemetry antennas. Thanks to Dr. Fred Lindsey of Wyoming University for his advising and support for this project. Special thanks to Saul Vazquez and Drs. Katherine Renton, Alejandro Salinas, and David Valenzuela for their support during radiotracking activities, field work and friendship. Thanks to Dr. Kathryn Stoner by tutoring my master degree at National University of Mexico. Biol Ivonne Juarez helped during desk work and biol. Carlos Illescas drew maps.

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  1. Proyecto Jaguar A.C., Morelia, Mich, Mexico

    Rodrigo Nuñez-Perez

  2. Wind River Ranch, Denver Zoological Foundation, Denver, CO, USA

    Brian Miller

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  1. Rodrigo Nuñez-Perez
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Department of Biodiversity Conservation, Lerma, Campeche, Mexico

    Rafael Reyna-Hurtado

  2. Department of Anthropology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Colin A. Chapman

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Nuñez-Perez, R., Miller, B. (2019). Movements and Home Range of Jaguars (Panthera onca) and Mountain Lions (Puma concolor) in a Tropical Dry Forest of Western Mexico. In: Reyna-Hurtado, R., Chapman, C. (eds) Movement Ecology of Neotropical Forest Mammals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03463-4_14

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