Nelson Fallas, SINAC’s regional director, said rangers installed a cage trap next to the chicken coop where the wild cat was discovered. The measure is intended to ensure that if the animal returns and attacks again, it can be safely captured without harm and relocated to a mountainous area away from the property.

The Shipleys, whose farm is located in the district of Alto San Juan, said they had seen the puma roaming near their property at least three times.

Fire Department units, Red Cross responders and SINAC wildlife specialists were dispatched to the scene. Authorities said the puma entered the coop in search of food but was unable to escape on its own and became trapped inside the structure.

According to SINAC, the pumas in Costa Rica are a subspecies of the North American cougar, with populations ranging from western Mexico to the northern Andes Mountains of South America.


The species has a uniform brown coat without spots. Adult males weigh an average of about 176 pounds (80 kilograms), while females average about 110 pounds (50 kilograms).


Pumas are carnivores whose diet includes deer, common opossums, agoutis, coatis and other animals. As apex predators, they play a critical role in regulating ecosystems by controlling herbivore populations. Without predators, species such as deer can overpopulate, leading to the degradation of vegetation and biodiversity, authorities said.

In a separate recent wildlife rescue, SINAC park rangers assisted a baby Florida manatee that became stranded near Tortuguero National Park in Limón Province.

SINAC is the government agency responsible for overseeing Costa Rica’s national parks and protected areas.