A puma (Puma concolor) was spotted at the Rio Acre Ecological Station, a conservation unit in the interior of Acre. The animal is the second largest feline species in Brazil and was photographed by a team from the 1st Expedition of the Biodiversity Monitoring Program of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
The feline was seen by monitors Fernanda Monteiro de Lima and Fábio Júnior Silva de Oliveira on one of the station’s trails. The area has controlled access, that is, practically no human interventions. According to Esec, the logistics of accessing the site are very complex, taking up to five days to get there in small boats.
And the current scenario of extreme drought in the river, due to climate change, has made it even more difficult to reach the region.
“The puma is not part of the National List of Endangered Species, however the current population is expected to be in decline, mainly due to fragmentation and loss of habitat, a consequence of agricultural expansion, mining and logging for coal”, say the researchers in a note sent to g1.
In June last year, another animal of the same species was recorded during sampling for the national biodiversity monitoring program of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). Biodiversity monitors Fernanda Monteiro and Abias Bandeira, when traveling 2,850 meters, saw the animal crouched down and staring at them.
According to the management team, the puma is a species with wide distribution throughout practically the entire American continent, being one of the felines best adapted to the different types of environments on the continent. In Brazil, this carnivore feeds mainly on small animals, such as pacas, armadillos, agoutis, coatis, birds and small reptiles, but it can also kill large animals, such as capybaras, alligators, wild pigs and deer.
The puma is a solitary and territorial animal, forming pairs only during the mating period, according to the “Assessment of the risk of extinction of the puma Puma concolor” published by doctor in ecology, Fernanda Cavalcanti Azevedo.
In Acre, the size of the puma population is not known or estimated, as it would be necessary to carry out studies on the species to arrive at an approximate number of individuals, say experts from the reserve.
“The unit’s management team aims to further promote the research to be developed at the UC in the coming years, with the only limiting factor being access to the unit, which is only possible during the rainy season when navigation is possible”, they explained.
With an area of 79,395.22 hectares practically intact, the Rio Acre Ecological Station is an essential territory for the preservation of the flora and fauna of the state of Acre. Created on June 2, 1981 by federal decree no. 86,061, it is located in the municipality of Assis Brasil, in the interior of Acre, where it borders Peru. As it is one of the most isolated units in Brazil, it has almost 100% of its territory preserved.
Esec Rio Acre is a unit of great importance for the country, as it preserves immense biodiversity, functioning as shelter and stock for various animals and plants that are under pressure in other places in the Amazon region. It also stands out for protecting a significant part of the headwaters of the Acre River, which is extremely important for supplying several municipalities, such as Brasiléia, Epitaciolândia, Xapuri and even the capital, Rio Branco.
The Station team also says that, in addition, the location aims to encourage research. “Esec has already hosted research in the most different areas, such as botany, entomology, limnology, herpetology, ornithology, mastozoology, paleontology, among others”, they explain.
