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

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66 intensive panther research and monitoring has yielded a panther telemetry data set of >50,000 locations on 94 panthers and more than 200 published research papers and internal agency reports that detail findings on panther life history, ecology, and conservation needs. These data have been utilized to guide decisions regarding use of public lands, harvest of game species that also serve as panther prey, mitigating impacts of highways and new development, and identifying lands that have important panther conservation values. State and Federal land acquisition programs have brought 870,000 acres of panther habitat into public ownership since 1974. A genetic restoration plan has been implemented to sixth Mountain Lion w o r k s h o p mimic natural gene flow into the panther population. Currently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has assembled a team to develop a spatiallyexplicit habitat model that will further delineate key areas for conservation and will have application as a regulatory tool. A new recovery team has been appointed by the FWS to revise the recovery plan. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and FWS will be working closely with other agencies and stakeholders to incorporate results from the genetic restoration study and the existing panther database into a coordinated management strategy for maintaining the current population. Reintroduction remains the final and crucial step toward panther recovery. AGING COUGARS IN THE FIELD FROM BIRTH TO DEATH JOHN W. LAUNDRÉ*, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Centro Regional Chihuahua, Km. 33.3 Carr. Chihuahua- Ojinaga, CD Aldama, Chih 32900 and Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209 LUCINA HERNÁNDEZ, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Centro Regional Chihuahua, Km. 33.3 Carr. Chihuahua- Ojinaga, CD Aldama, Chih 32900. Abstract: The ability to accurately age mountain lions (Puma concolor) in the field would be a valuable tool for management. However, no reliable nor standardized technique is currently available. We tested the accuracy of using gum recession and mass gain as aging techniques. We measured gum recession of the upper canine teeth in 13 known-aged free ranging individuals (12 F, 1 M). Additionally, we fit body mass data from 94 known-aged cougars with a Richards curve function. Gum recession was first noticable at approximately 20 months and was significantly related to age in months thereafter (R2 = 81.0; t28 = 10.16; P < 0.001). The 95% confidence intervals for age estimations of lions based on gum recession ranged from + 0.5 to 1.3 years. The Richards curve provided good fits of the data for mass (males: R2 = 0.958; females: R2 = 0.89). Weights became quite variable after approximately 14 months and could not be used as a reliable estimator of age. However, for animals < 14 months, the model performed well in back estimating ages. We proposed that with combined gum recession in adults and mass growth in kittens, biologists can accurately age mountain lions of almost all age classes.
sixth Mountain Lion w o r k s h o p 67 ENERGETICS OF FREE ROAMING MOUNTAIN LIONS IN THE GREAT BASIN JOHN W. LAUNDRÉ*, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Centro Regional Chihuahua, Km. 33.3 Carr. Chihuahua- Ojinaga, CD Aldama, Chih 32900 and Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209 LUCINA HERNÁNDEZ, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Centro Regional Chihuahua, Km. 33.3 Carr. Chihuahua- Ojinaga, CD Aldama, Chih 32900. Abstract: Estimating energetics of free roaming animals has many obvious benefits relative to their management, e.g. estimating food resource needs, carrying capacity, etc. This is additional true for large predators such as mountain lions (Puma concolor) whose food base often are ungulates that are also popular game species. In this case, energetics calculations could help provide estimates of the impact mountain lions might have on these species. Previous energetics calculations were based on broad categories of lion activity (resting, walking, running) and estimates of time budgets in each. Here we present energetic estimates based on actual activity levels as determined via radio telemetry. We relocated selected animals every half hour over 24 hours and used these data to calculate distance moved. Estimates of distance moved were converted to amount of energy expended via standard physiological formulae. These data were then used to calculate a total daily and annual energy budget for females and males and then used to estimate annual prey needs. The results of these calculations will be presented. HABITAT COMPOSITION OF SUCCESSFUL KILL SITES FOR LIONS IN SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO AND NORTHWESTERN UTAH JOHN W. LAUNDRÉ*, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Centro Regional Chihuahua, Km. 33.3 Carr. Chihuahua- Ojinaga, CD Aldama, Chih 32900 and Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209 LUCINA HERNÁNDEZ, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Centro Regional Chihuahua, Km. 33.3 Carr. Chihuahua- Ojinaga, CD Aldama, Chih 32900. Abstract: It is well known that mountain lions (Puma concolor) stalk their prey, specifically, deer (Odocoileus spp.) and elk (Cervus elaphus). Because of this predatory behavior, they need to remained concealed from their prey until they approach to within striking distance (estimated by many to be 20-25 m). As not all types of habitat can provide the needed cover for such approaches, we predicted that the sites where lions successfully killed animals should have specific structural characteristics (e.g. tree/shrub density) that aid lions in their hunting efforts. For 65 sites where we verified that lions killed mule deer, we subjectively classified them as either being in the open (>25 m from the nearest forest), edge of the forest ( 15 m into the forest. Of these, 72% were in the edge of the forest and 14% each in the open and forest areas. We also quantified the structural characteristics of each site relative to tree and shrub density and shrub height. The sites objectively classified as edge differed significantly in tree density and shrub height from those classified as open and forest. Thus we concluded that edge or edge like habitat constituted successful hunting habitat for lions. We suggest the reason for this is that this type of habitat structure provides the lions with the visibility needed to locate their prey at a distance but still provide the cover they need to make a successful approach.
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P R O C E E D I N G S O F T H E six
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PREDATION RATES OF FEMALE MOUNTAIN
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RESEARCH AND STATUS REPORTS
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