Resumen

Tropical forests are hotspots for biodiversity, covering less than 10% of the earth’s surface but contain more than 50% of the world’s species of flora and fauna. These natural refuges are under increasing pressure due to human expansion and can modify animal behaviour. For instance, in areas with high human disturbance, jaguars and pumas may alter their usual hunting grounds and shift their activity patterns to avoid encounters with humans. This behavioural response can result in changes in their home range size, resource selection, and even interspecies interactions. Similarly, the availability of prey species may decline in areas with intense human activity, leading to shifts in the dietary habits and foraging strategies of these big cats. In this study, I examined the coexistence of jaguar and puma in three human dominated habitats and one primary rainforest in Manu National Park, Southeastern Peru using camera trap data. My findings demonstrate that jaguars and pumas coexist within the study area by employing strategies such as spatiotemporal segregation and fine-scale changes in activity peaks. Furthermore, my analysis revealed a negative association between pumas and the human disturbance index (HII), as well as a similar negative correlation between pumas and factors such as distance to water sources and prey composition. These results shed light on the behaviour of these two species in areas with varying levels of historical human disturbance. Overall, through the utilisation of camera trap data, this study provides valuable insights into the behavioural patterns and coexistence mechanisms of jaguars and pumas in humandominated habitats and pristine rainforests. By understanding how these predators adapt to changing environments, we can develop effective conservation strategies to mitigate the impacts of human activities on tropical forest ecosystems.