The Eastern Puma has been officially declared extinct by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This declaration has caused a tragic stir among wildlife enthusiasts, as the once thriving species has been cornered into extinction due to humans.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The last Eastern Puma was seen in 1938. All these years they were on the list of endangered species, but the officials have formally accepted that the last surviving Eastern Puma must have perished decades ago.
The disappearance of this species is attributed to the unchecked hunting, habitat destruction, poisoning, trapping, and the elimination of their primary prey – the whitetail deer.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Eastern Pumas were found in abundance alongside the east Mississippi river in the 1800s. The current decline in the population of these predatory cougars have led to the over-abundance of plant-eating preys, causing an imbalance in vegetation, which has further repercussions on human life.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Wildlife activists have pleaded the authorities to help in the conservation of other near-extinct predators like jaguars by arranging planned release of the surviving animals in target habitats. We hope people help to raise awareness for the survival of these precious animals.
Check out the video below to watch how this poor puma sub-species went extinct.
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