Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — A cougar was found deceased along the side of a Playa del Carmen highway Thursday after being hit by a vehicle. The animal, who authorities reported was a 50-kilo male, was found about 10 kilometers south of the city near Punta Venado.
Mario Buil, president of the Committee for the Protection and Conservation of the Jaguar by the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa), was on site to verify the death. Buil said that the animal was likely crossing the highway when it was struck.
Buil said body of the cougar was removed from the roadway and taken for autopsy before being buried in the community of Coba. He said motorists need to respect speed limits and be attentive to the wildlife signs along the road.