Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

PUMA RESPONSES TO CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH RESEARCHERS
LINDA L. SWEANOR, Wildlife Research Biologist, Wildlife Health Center, University of
California at Davis, Southern California Puma Project Field Station, P.O. Box 1114,
Julian, CA 92036-1114, USA, email: lsweanor@mindspring.com
KENNETH A. LOGAN, Wildlife Research Biologist, Wildlife Health Center, University of
California at Davis, Southern California Puma Project Field Station, P.O. Box 1114,
Julian, CA 92036-1114, USA
MAURICE G. HORNOCKER, Senior Scientist, Wildlife Conservation Society, Box 929,
Bellevue, ID 83313, USA
Abstract: Recent books and articles have provided information on relatively rare, but violent
attacks where people were injured or killed by pumas. However, there is a paucity of data on the
type and variation in behavior wild pumas exhibit when approached by humans. During a 10year
puma study in New Mexico, we approached pumas and visually observed their behavior on
262 occasions. The study area was remote and was closed to most human activity; consequently
the pumas living there had rare opportunities for contact with people. We categorized the
approach based on the status of the puma, the number of people involved, the distance between
the puma(s) and people, and the puma’s subsequent response to the approach. Pumas we
approached included adult females with nursing (