It is not -any longer- a surprising fact that a puma hunts monkeys, sloths, armadillos, coatis, and anteaters in the dense forest of Corcovado, in the south Pacific region of Costa Rica. What is very unusual is capturing on video the moment when one of these cats catches or walks with its prey between its jaws.
This type of incident has happened before, at the end of July of last year, when a puma was recorded with a howler monkey in its jaws in this sector of the country. Now, last Saturday, another cat was filmed walking around with a spider monkey between its teeth.
The person responsible for recording the scene was Carlos Leitón, a naturist guide with 24 years of experience, 18 of which he has dedicated to working at the Bosque del Cabo hotel in Puerto Jiménez. In his statements, Leitón commented that the event occurred after noon on the grounds of this hotel, which has tracts of land dedicated to conservation.
At the moment when the puma walked with its prey, there were several foreign tourists, who were amazed at what they were witnessing. One of them was Jan Harnos, who recorded that moment with his powerful camera.
What happens in Corcovado with those wild cats?
Víctor Hugo Montalvo, an academic and specialist in wildlife from the National University, explained to this same medium, months ago, that the recurring appearance of pumas in Corcovado should not be cause for much celebration. This occurs because -said Montalvo- it is reflected that the presence of the jaguar, the main predator in the area (the one that should be at the top of the food chain in this area), is clearly declining.
The reason is simple: Corcovado is not exempt from illegal hunters of species such as the peccary, which is part of the jaguar’s food chain. In fact, Montalvo commented that for some 15 years, the presence of the jaguar in this park of 42,560 terrestrial hectares is more difficult to capture. On the sidewalk, in front of the hotel, it is easier to come across a cougar, whose population is predicted to be higher.
