Ecology of puma and Kodkod
The kodkod cat or Güiña (Leopardus guigna), a forest dweller, is one of the smallest wildcats in the world. It is endemic to Central and Southern Chile as well as a small strip of temperate forest in Argentina. Main threats to the populations are fragmentation, habitat degradation, and illegal hunting. In addition there is a general negative attitude by rural communities towards the species, mainly because of attacks on poultry. The lack of knowledge on the present conservation status of the populations indicate urgent needs to asses the present status. Populations are highly fragmented as well as knowledge. Research efforts have concentrated in the VII and X Regions of Chile. Our study area, in the pre-Andean zone of the Araucanía district of southern Chile (IX region), represents the northern limit of the temperate rainforest in Chile (39º15´LS). This is the first research effort to understand more about the populations of Güiña in this part of Chile.
An
integrated programme of research and education on the kodkod is being
carried out with additional funding provided by the CONAMA Fondo de
Proteccion Ambiental (FPA).
Humane trapping
In order to fit tracking collars or assess the health of wild animals, live traps, like this puma trap, baited with meat are used to minimise the discomfort for the animals caught.
