80
Pumas Are Snacking on Penguins in Argentina—and the Abundant Birds Are Changing the Prowling Cats' Behavior
(www.smithsonianmag.com)
You know, when you grab a midnight snack, and bring your cat some treats (because you thought it would be fun if you both snacked together)? Then next day, as you're lunching, she demands "feed me" — because she learned "he eats, I eats"?
Or when your cats go from "I hate you, get out my ~~lawn~~ cardboard Panzer!" to "Do you even exist?" towards each other, because you're serving them food?
That's what's happening here, I think. Carnivores are smart enough to notice new opportunities to get food; four legs, two legs, it's still meat. And also smart enough to only fight others of the same species for scarce resources, not for overabundant ones.
although recent surveys suggest the birds’ population is growing.
For now, I think. If human presence in Patagonia became low enough, the situation could revert to what it used to be: more available food, less intraspecific fights → puma population goes up → pumas overhunt penguins, as they're easier prey than guanacos → the continent stops being "it's free real penguin state!" to become "don't come here! Hic sunt dracones! And the dragons go «meow meow I murder you»!" → penguins avoid breeding in the continent → pumas are back hunting guanacos.
Then they might need to change the logo of the park:
A complicating factor is that is that the park is relatively small, only 36km of coast. Sure, no human activity in it, but it's still affected by activity around it; for example it's possible pumas leave the park off-season, then get killed by some farmers, maintaining their population low enough so penguins don't see them as a threat. That would make pumas hunting penguins a more permanent part of the local food chain.
