30/06/2026
We could hardly believe it when Hugo, our security coordinator, shared these incredible photos he recently took of a puma near our property. We reached out to Vanessa Bezy from WCA, along with a local biologist and a field biologist from Panthera CR, to learn more. (All the experts recommended keeping the exact location private, but agreed it was a great chance to build awareness.)
Here's what we found: Pumas are apex predators in Costa Rica, but humans aren't on the menu. They’re more interested in raccoons, coatis, and other small animals. In fact, they are so rarely spotted because pumas prefer to keep their distance from us.
While pumas generally avoid people, residents and businesses can help reduce the chance of encounters by managing things that might attract their prey. That means keeping pet food and trash in tightly closed containers, and covering compost.
According to Panthera, if you do meet a puma on a trail, stand your ground, make yourself look large, and make loud noises. Again, the chance of spotting one in the wild is small, and they pose little threat to humans.
We don't know whether this one is male or female, but an adult male’s home range can span from 50 to 1,000 km², often overlapping several female territories. This individual could turn up anywhere from Samara to San Juanillo, and up into the mountains as well.
A puma's presence here is meaningful, especially given the threats of hunting and habitat loss. It's a sign of a healthy local ecosystem—the result of our community's long-term conservation efforts—and a credit to the groups protecting our land and biodiversity, including Costas Verdes and the NCA.
Want to help? Support these NGOs, or contact WCA to learn more about funding a trap camera. Their wildlife monitoring program has captured puma movements in our area before, and sharing sightings like this helps us understand our local biodiversity. Tracking animal movements also supports the Nosara Biodiversity Project, a long-term study that will help shape policy for wildlife conservation and sustainable development.
Learn more about pumas and local cats at Panthera’s website: panthera.org/panthera-costa-rica
