A single puma’s home range may span hundreds of square kilometres which the cat patrols, traversing significant distances daily.

Other than mothers with their young (or adolescent siblings newly on their own) and male-female encounters during the mating season, the South American puma is seldom seen in pairs or groups.

Large, dominant male pumas may threaten or kill young cubs if they are deemed potential competition for resources or future bloodlines.

Depending on its location, the cougar hunts a variety of species; in the northern, more tropical regions, prey consists of many species of birds, primates, opossums and rodents (including agouti, capybara, paca, rats, as well as brocket deer, white-tailed deer, white-lipped and collared peccary, South American tapir, sloths, frogs, lizards and snakes.

[12] Certain populations may also hunt and prey on non-native, introduced species, such as red deer in Argentina, blackbuck, or North American beaver.