Tag Archive for 'Puma concolor'

Miracinonyx trumani and the ecosystem this species lived in. Image credit: Julius Csotonyi.

Ancient DNA Rewrites Story of Enigmatic ‘American Cheetah’

Sep 4, 2026 by Enrico de Lazaro

For several decades, paleontologists have described Miracinonyx trumani — an extinct species of cheetah-like felid that roamed the North American...

Miracinonyx trumani probably deployed a unique predatory behavior without modern analogues. Image credit: Sheatherius / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Extinct American Cheetah Had Unique Predatory Behavior, Research Suggests

Feb 15, 2023 by Enrico de Lazaro

Miracinonyx trumani is an extinct species of cheetah-like cat that roamed the North American prairies and steppe terrains more than 13,000 years ago. Miracinonyx...

The puma (Puma concolor). Image credit: Jbarreirol / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Ancient Maya Captured and Traded Big Cats: Study

Sep 17, 2018 by News Staff

The ancient Maya routinely captured and traded wild jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) for symbolic and ritual purposes, according to an...