A puma that survived a highway collision as a cub returned three times to the exact spot in Brazil where it was found, years after being rehabilitated and released back into the wild, according to researchers who tracked the animal with a GPS collar.
The puma was fitted with a radio telemetry collar in 2019, once it had regained its freedom, allowing biologists to record its movements and see how it adapted after rehabilitation.
Learning to live wild again
After the accident, the puma received veterinary care for its injuries. As part of its rehabilitation, it spent 16 months at a conservation centre under the care of specialists.
Once it regained its physical condition, handlers did not release the puma directly into the wild. It was first moved to a fenced pre-release area, where it could gradually prepare for the conditions it would face outside the centre.
This process, known as gradual release, allows animals to regain the skills they need to survive on their own. Specialists observed the puma resuming behaviour typical of a wild individual, including a shift toward moving mainly at night and at dusk, as these big cats normally do.
Tracking begins in 2019
Once the puma returned to its natural environment, researchers began following its movements. Monitoring started in 2019 with a GPS-equipped radio telemetry collar, which provided data on the areas the animal covered and its main travel routes.
This kind of tracking is especially useful for understanding what happens to rehabilitated animals once they are returned to the wild, and it can also help identify places where animals face greater risks. For pumas, highways are a major problem because they cut through the natural spaces the animals move through.
The tracking revealed something striking: at different points, the puma returned three times to the same spot on the highway where it had been rescued as a cub.
Why did it return three times?
The behaviour raises a difficult question: why would an animal rescued at a particular site return there repeatedly?
The records confirm the puma went back, but researchers said they cannot on their own establish whether the animal consciously remembered the accident or had some emotional connection to the place. What is documented is that the puma used that area again during its movements after regaining its freedom.
Researchers said the finding is relevant because it provides information on how a rehabilitated puma uses its territory. It also shows that releasing an animal does not mean it stops facing the risks associated with human presence.
Highways remain a danger for pumas
The case highlights one of the main challenges for wildlife conservation: highways cut through natural habitats and can disrupt the routes animals use.
In the state of São Paulo, official records show that thousands of wild animals are killed by vehicles on highways. Between 2019 and 2023, more than 36,000 roadkill incidents were recorded on the state's toll roads, including cases involving cats such as pumas.
One measure used to reduce these accidents is wildlife crossings, underground or elevated structures that let animals cross roads without coming into direct contact with vehicles. In 2025, São Paulo reported having 415 such structures on its toll roads, with another 121 planned.
The monitoring that began in 2019 documented an unusual pattern for this puma: returning three times to the place where its story of survival began. Beyond the reasons behind those movements, researchers said the puma's tracking data offers valuable information for understanding how big cats use their territory after returning to the wild.
