SCIENCE
Science behind our work
At Cerro Guido Conservation Foundation, we study how pumas and other native species use the territory and adapt to a landscape where conservation, ranching, and human presence coexist.
​
Our scientific work combines different lines of research, including long-term monitoring with camera traps, allowing us to understand real behavioral patterns and make informed conservation decisions.
Our studies show that there are different strategies of space use among individuals.
​
-
Resident pumas use relatively small, defined territories.
-
Dispersing pumas range over areas 7 to 8 times larger, moving across hundreds or even thousands of square kilometers.
​
This demonstrates that puma conservation does not depend solely on protecting specific areas, but on maintaining large, connected landscapes that allow for these large-scale movements.
Monitoring reveals that not all areas of the territory are used in the same way.
​
The Condorera sector shows the highest relative puma activity, even when accounting for monitoring effort. This positions it as a priority area for the conservation of the species within the estancia.
​
Identifying these key areas allows us to focus protection, monitoring, and management actions in a strategic and evidence-based way.
Although pumas and Geoffroy’s cats share the same territory, they use different activity schedules to reduce direct encounters.
​
While pumas concentrate their activity during crepuscular hours, Geoffroy’s cats are primarily nocturnal.
This temporal differentiation is a natural strategy that supports coexistence between species and reduces the risk of conflict.
​
These results reflect a functional ecosystem, where species adjust their behavior to coexist within the same landscape.
Applied science for coexistence
​
These results not only allow us to better understand pumas, but also provide a foundation for promoting coexistence strategies between wildlife and ranching.
​
Science is a central tool in our work: it helps us make better decisions today and envision a future where conservation and ranching can coexist in balance.