Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

ecommendations for future use. We
placed 4 GPS collars from Telemetry
Solutions (1130 Burnett Avenue, Suite J,
Concord, CA 94520) on panthers during
our 2001-2002 capture season. Two
were Posrec collars that stored data on
board until the collar was retrieved and
the other two were Simplex units that
had the ability to transmit data for
remote downloads as well as store-onboard
capabilities. Additionally, each
collar was equipped with a VHF beacon
in order to detect and recover carcasses,
pinpoint and visit dens, and enable
comparisons between GPS locations and
aerial VHF relocations. Each panther
equipped with a GPS collar was located
thrice weekly during our regularly
scheduled telemetry flights. All GPS
collars have been recovered and we are
currently evaluating data and
performance. Two panthers wearing
Posrec collars died 7 months after
deployment, one Simplex model
failed completely after only 4 months,
and the remaining Simplex’s main
battery failed after 6 months, disrupting
GPS capabilities, but VHF function was
maintained through the back-up battery.
A final report is scheduled to be
completed by the end of 2003.
Feasibility of Using Remote Cameras to
Survey Florida Panthers
Most of what is known about Florida
panthers, including population
demographics, has come from radiotelemetry
studies over the past 20 years.
However, standardized survey
techniques that estimate panther
population parameters with associated
measures of statistical confidence and
that document significant changes in
these parameters over time have not
been applied. The objective of this study
is to assess whether infrared-triggered
camera surveys for panthers provide
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP
FLORIDA STATUS REPORT · Lotz and Land 21
adequate data for inclusion into capturerecapture
models based on the Lincoln-
Peterson estimator. Remote camera
surveys could complement existing labor
and cost-intensive survey methodology
to provide a more accurate estimate of
panther population parameters and
document significant changes in these
parameters over time. Passive infrared
cameras (Cam Trakker, CamTrak
South Inc., Watkinsville, GA) were
deployed systematically on two areas
within the current occupied range of
Florida panthers. The Florida Panther
National Wildlife Refuge provided an
opportunity to assess camera survey
methodology in a core area with a
sample population of radio-collared and
uncollared panthers. Long Pine Key
within Everglades National Park
provided an opportunity to assess
camera survey methodology in a quasigeographically
closed population of
radio-collared and uncollared panthers.
Cameras were systematically placed in
each study area and trials of 15 and 30
days were run with 15 and 30 cameras
per session. Field work was completed
in 2002 and a final report is expected
later this year.
Feasibility of Extracting Florida Panther
DNA from Scats
Panther scats could potentially offer the
safest and most cost effective tool for
censussing numbers of panthers,
measuring population genetic health, and
identifying origins of Puma sign found
outside of core panther areas. The
purpose of this study is to evaluate the
use of panther scats as a source of DNA
samples for on-going genetic
monitoring. Existing tissue samples
were used to calibrate and verify the
utility of extracting and analyzing DNA
from scats. Scat collection routes were
established along existing trails on four