Puma sighted in Lago Peñuelas National Reserve

A visitor captured video and photographic evidence of a puma (Puma concolor) in the upper sector of the Lago Peñuelas National Reserve in the Valparaíso Region on Sunday, October 11. This marks the first confirmed sighting of the species in this protected area since May 2021, when trap cameras operated by the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) recorded a feline in the same location.

Yenny Prieto, the regional director of CONAF Valparaíso, stated that the sighting confirms the reserve provides suitable habitat conditions and that the ecosystem is well-protected and enriched by recent rainfall. Marcelo Pérez, head of CONAF’s Protected Areas Department, noted that the visitor's contribution allowed for the verification of the animal's presence in situ.

Authorities have issued a call for public caution, advising visitors not to approach or feed the animal, as it is a protected species living within a natural biological corridor of native sclerophyllous forest.