Talk about a big scardey cat! The moment a mountain lion runs away AFRAID after hearing the sound of human voices

  • Researchers played recordings of human voices at puma kill sites in Santa Cruz
  • The pumas fled in 83 per cent of cases as soon as they heard human voices
  • After hearing people, the animals also took longer to return to their kills
  • This suggests human presence could affect the link between predators and prey

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

Published: | Updated:

While you might think that humans should be the ones intimidated by mountain lions, a new study suggests it might be quite the contrary. 

New research into the behaviour of these big cats indicates that they don't like encountering humans any more than we like bumping into them on hiking trails.

The findings are particularly valuable as human development encroaches on lion habitat and drives up the number of human-puma encounters.

Scroll down for video 

New research into the behaviour of these mountian lions indicates that they don't like encountering humans any more than we like bumping into them on hiking trails

New research into the behaviour of these mountian lions indicates that they don't like encountering humans any more than we like bumping into them on hiking trails

THE STUDY

The researchers devised a novel experiment to guage puma behaviour, by placing audio equipment at puma kill sites.

When a puma came to feed, its movements triggered motion-activated technology that played recordings of humans talking, and a hidden camera captured the puma's responses.

They also played recording of Pacific tree frogs as a control.

In 29 experiments involving 17 pumas, the pumas fled in 83 per cent of cases as soon as they heard human voices, and only once upon hearing frogs.

Advertisement

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley looked at the behaviour of pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Dr Justine Smith, who led the study, said: 'We exposed pumas in the Santa Cruz mountains to the sound of human voices to see if they would react with fear and flee, and the results were striking: They were definitely afraid of humans.'

The researchers devised a novel experiment to guage puma behaviour, by placing audio equipment at puma kill sites.

When a puma came to feed, its movements triggered motion-activated technology that played recordings of humans talking, and a hidden camera captured the puma's responses.

They also played recording of Pacific tree frogs as a control.

In 29 experiments involving 17 pumas, the pumas fled in 83 per cent of cases as soon as they heard human voices, and only once upon hearing frogs.

Dr Smith said: 'We found that pumas almost always ran from the sound of humans—and almost never ran from the sound of frogs.'

As well as establishing the fear response, the study reveals changes in puma feeding behaviour that could have implications for their well-being in human-dominated landscapes - and their impact on prey populations, particularly deer.

A puma is pictured at the puma kill site
In 29 experiments involving 17 pumas, the pumas fled in 83 per cent of cases as soon as they heard human voices

The researchers devised an experiment to guage puma behaviour, by placing audio equipment at puma kill sites. When a puma came to feed, its movements triggered technology that played recordings of humans talking, and a hidden camera captured the puma's responses

SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES 

As well as establishing the fear response, the study reveals changes in puma feeding behaviour that could have implications for their well-being in human-dominated landscapes - and their impact on prey populations, particularly deer.

Dr Smith said: 'We found that pumas took longer to return to their kills after hearing people, and subsequently reduced their feeding on kills by about half.

'Those behavioural changes are significant, as our previous work has shown that they cause pumas to increase their kill rates by 36 per cent in areas with high human activity.'

Advertisement

Dr Smith said: 'We found that pumas took longer to return to their kills after hearing people, and subsequently reduced their feeding on kills by about half.

'Those behavioural changes are significant, as our previous work has shown that they cause pumas to increase their kill rates by 36 per cent in areas with high human activity.'

This study is the first to link the fear of humans to feeding behaviour in large carnivories.

Dr Chris Wilmers, a senior author of the study, said: 'Fear is the mechanism behind an ecological cascade that goes from humans to pumas to increased puma predation on deer.'

'We're seeing that human disturbance - beyond hunting - may alter the ecological role of large carnivores.

'As we encroach on lion habitat, our presence will likely affect the link between top predators and their prey.'

As well as establishing the fear response, the study reveals changes in puma feeding behaviour that could have implications for their well-being in human-dominated landscapes - and their impact on prey populations, particularly deer 

As well as establishing the fear response, the study reveals changes in puma feeding behaviour that could have implications for their well-being in human-dominated landscapes - and their impact on prey populations, particularly deer 

 

Most watched News videos