Puma energetics: laboratory oxygen consumption and GPS information from free-ranging individuals

Abstract

Background

Under current scenarios of climate change and habitat loss, many wild animals, especially large predators, are moving into novel energetically challenging environments. Consequently, changes in terrain associated with such moves may heighten energetic costs and effect the decline of populations in new localities.

Methods

To examine locomotor costs of a carnivorous mammal moving in mountainous habitats, the oxygen consumption of captive pumas (Puma concolor) was measured during treadmill locomotion on level and incline (6.8ᵒ) surfaces. These data were used to predict energetic costs of locomotor behaviours of free-ranging pumas equipped with GPS/accelerometer collars in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains.

Results

Incline walking resulted in a 42.0%±7.2 SEM increase in transport costs compared to level performance. Wild pumas modified their locomotor behaviour in response to terrain steepness by traversing the mean hillside incline of 17.2ᵒ±0.3 SEM and...