PWD BK W7000-893 Proceedings.CDR - Mountain Lion Foundation

40
MANAGING THE CAPTIVE MOUNTAIN LION
POPULATION IN NORTH AMERICAN ZOOS
MICHELLE R. SCHIREMAN, Oregon Zoo, Portland, Oregon, 97221
sixth Mountain Lion w o r k s h o p
Abstract: The Studbook Keeper for Cougar in the U.S. and Canadian zoos keeps all of the records for puma
that have been held in our member institutions since the first cat entered the Philadelphia Zoo in 1874. This
includes causes of death, transfers, Dams and Sires, and places of capture or release where applicable.
Subspecies are included when known and all of the Florida Panther that have passed through our
institutions. As this species of animal breeds easily in captivity, the Felid Taxon Advisory Group has mandated
a temporary breeding moratorium on this population until we can get a handle on their genetic make up. As
a result, no litters have been born at our institutions since 1995. An unfortunate result of this moratorium is
that attrition is taking hold of our population. As individuals die and exhibits are left empty zoos are asking for
help in locating cubs to fill these spaces. While some conservationists would like to see these exhibits filled
with other endangered species, the public demands to see predators and the zoogeographic layouts of our
zoos demand that they remain North American species. This is where careful genetic pairing of captive
animals and placement of wild orphans will save this population. Our goal is to maintain 90% genetic
variation in this population for the next 100 years.
The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) maintain records on captive cougar
in zoos throughout the U.S. and Canada by merging all of the records each zoo had on individual
cougars into one database. This would allow us to look at trends and to see where the cats are and
where they had all come from.These databases would be called studbooks and the record keeper
a studbook keeper.
The official title for the historical compilation for cougar is the Regional Studbook for
Puma. We utilize a variety of database management programs including SPARKS (Single
Population Animal Record Keeping System) and PM2000 (population Management 2000).
There are 2 types of studbooks: Regional Studbooks and International Studbooks. The
Regional Studbooks can include Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South American
facilities and individuals who fall into any of the following categories: AZA Institutional Members
(this includes most of the larger zoos and aquariums in the US), AZA Affiliate Members (facilities
that may not be open to the public), facilities and individuals who deal directly with our
institutions,and who participate in and follow breeding recommendations,institute good record
keeping,and who respond to the studbook keepers' requests for information or records.Basically,
they cooperate with and follow the recommendations of the various Taxon Advisory Groups (in
this case the Felid TAG) and their studbook keepers. There have been many private facilities that
have not met these criteria,but have been included them in the printed book,nonetheless. Many
zoos have dealt with questionable parties in the past and do not wish to be associated with them
in the historical studbooks.These books are printed every 3 years and show all cougar that have
passed through AZA facilities from the beginning of AZA institutional record keeping. In the case
of Philadelphia, we have animals dating back to the 1870s. This type of data was gleaned from
handwritten ledgers with information such as how many beaver pelts were traded by the zoo for
these animals.