Pumas are still major predators in the South American Andes.
Ecology and conservation of large predator-large prey interactions in South America's high Andes is the first topic for the summer seminar series that begins Thursday, June 14, at the University of Wyoming-National Park Service (UW-NPS) Research Center. The center is located at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park.
The talk is at 6:30 p.m. at the AMK Ranch, north of Leeks Marina. A barbecue will kick things off at 5:30 p.m. with a $5 per person fee. Reservations are not required. For more information, call the UW-NPS Center at (307) 543-2463.
Emiliano Donadio, a researcher in the UW Department of Zoology and Physiology, will be the guest speaker. He says, in North America, large predator-large herbivore interactions have been disrupted mainly by elimination of predators. In some protected areas of northwestern Argentina, the natural interaction between pumas, as the main predator on vicunas and guanacos, still occurs.
Donadio will present data that highlights the importance of conserving large predator-large prey dynamics; discuss the factors that threaten its persistence; and describe alternative strategies that researchers could use to support and enhance the conservation of wildlife and its habitats in the high Andes of South America.
The UW-NPS Research Center provides a base -- for university faculty members and governmental scientists from throughout North America -- to conduct research in the diverse aquatic and terrestrial environments of Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area.
