“We pumas were considered special divine animals by the Incas because we moved almost silently, could leap up to five and a half meters from a standing start, appear out of nowhere, and vanish just as quickly. We caused quite a stir among the big cats. The indigenous peoples of South America believed that we had a connection to the gods. They saw us as scouts—‘guard cats,’ so to speak—who made sure that people regularly offered sacrifices and observed sacred rituals. The fact that, as messengers of the gods, we not only looked very imposing but also played a very special role in Inca social life is particularly evident in a sacred ceremony that was customary among the Incas at that time.

The Incas went so far in their veneration of us pumas that they regularly offered sacrifices in our honor and incorporated us into their rituals. Sacred rituals even determined the day of sowing, which was carried out according to strict criteria. Through this, the Incas hoped for good harvests. We pumas were even considered responsible for that: we determined daily life and the schedule. That was quite a responsible role that was attributed to us. I’m glad to be an observer in the animal world today. However, I haven’t lost any of my pride. After all, we pumas were important sacred animals in the bygone world of the Incas.”