In the wilds of the Patagonia steppe, sheep farmers are learning to live with pumas as part of a pioneering conservation project by Estancia Cerro Guido A burnt-orange light illuminated the Patagonian steppe as our jeep bounced along a stony track, scattering a flock of grazing sheep into a patch of white-flowering mata negra bushes. The dawn horizon was dominated by the Condoreras, a jagged golden ridge that stretches across Estancia Cerro Guido, one of the largest ranches in southern Chile. The trekking hotspot of Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, was just a few kilometres away, yet it felt as if we had the whole area all to ourselves.  At the base of the Condoreras we joined puma tracker Ricardo Muza, who was patiently scanning the striated rock face with binoculars for a telltale flash of movement. ‘Pumas are perfectly evolved … Continue reading Transforming attitudes towards pumas in Patagonia