Penguins Become Prey for the Pumas of Patagonia

Penguins throughout the southern seas have to worry about being picked off by seals or hunted by orcas. On land, they can find safety in numbers. But in the Patagonia region of Argentina, the flightless seabirds are becoming snacks for an unexpected land predator: pumas.

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In the early 20th century, widespread sheep ranching vanquished pumas from Patagonia. With those predators gone, Magellanic penguins, which had mostly lived on oceanic islands, established large breeding colonies on Argentina’s coast. Conservation efforts have brought pumas back to the landscape, setting the stage for new interactions between these animals.