Understanding the food habits of mammalian carnivores is crucial for the comprehension of the role of apex-predators in maintaining healthy ecosystems. The puma is currently the most widespread top predator and the carnivore most frequently involved in conflicts with humans in the Americas. We analyzed puma diet in the South American temperate region, a vast area largely modified by humans, to assess the importance of native prey with respect to livestock and exotic species. We reviewed 18 studies published between 1991 and 2020 to which we added 19 feces of puma from a rangeland area of central Argentina. “Undetermined small rodent,” plains vizcacha, European hare, and wild boar were the most frequent species in the small area of the Argentinean Espinal. In the southern temperate region, exotic (European hare and wild boar) and native species (guanaco and armadillos) were the most frequent wild prey species, while sheep was the most frequent livestock followed by cattle. Exotic species had a greater frequency of occurrence than native and livestock species. Livestock frequency of occurrence was greater inside protected areas than outside. These findings reveal that, although the puma is considered in this large area as conflictive, wild prey (exotic and native) are its main food sources. Given the potentially crucial role exotic species can play in the ecosystem, understanding the role of pumas in controlling their populations is a challenge for future research.

理解哺乳动物食肉动物的饮食习惯对于理解食肉动物在维持健康生态系统中的作用至关重要。美洲狮目前是美洲最广泛的捕食者和食肉动物，最常与人类发生冲突。我们分析了南美温带地区的美洲豹饮食，该区域在很大程度上被人类改造，以评估本地猎物对牲畜和外来物种的重要性。我们回顾了1991年至2020年之间发表的18项研究，在其中增加了来自阿根廷中部牧场地的19头美洲豹粪便。阿根廷小地区最常见的物种是“未定小啮齿动物”，即比斯恰恰平原，欧洲野兔和野猪。在南部温带地区 外来物种（欧洲野兔和野猪）和本地物种（鬣蜥和犰狳）是最常见的野生猎物，而绵羊是最常见的牲畜，其次是牛。外来物种的发生频率比本地和牲畜物种高。保护区内部牲畜的发生频率大于外部区域。这些发现表明，尽管美洲狮在这个大区域被认为是有冲突的，但野生猎物（外来和本地猎物）是其主要食物来源。鉴于外来物种在生态系统中可能发挥的潜在关键作用，了解美洲狮在控制其种群中的作用是未来研究的挑战。外来物种的发生频率比本地和牲畜物种高。保护区内部牲畜的发生频率大于外部区域。这些发现表明，尽管美洲狮在这个大区域被认为是有冲突的，但野生猎物（外来和本地猎物）是其主要食物来源。鉴于外来物种在生态系统中可能发挥的潜在关键作用，了解美洲狮在控制其种群中的作用是未来研究的挑战。外来物种的发生频率比本地和牲畜物种高。保护区内部牲畜的发生频率大于外部区域。这些发现表明，尽管美洲狮在这个大区域被认为是有冲突的，但野生猎物（外来和本地猎物）是其主要食物来源。鉴于外来物种在生态系统中可能发挥的潜在关键作用，了解美洲狮在控制其种群中的作用是未来研究的挑战。