Proceedings of the fifth mountain lion workshop: 27

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102 PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP 1. What is your goal for management of mountain lion? BRITISH COLUMBIA Management goals for cougar are to maintain viable populations over their current range, to provide for recreational hunting opportunities, and to reduce cougar problems through site-specific control, preventative husbandry, and harvest manipulations. 2. What percent of your state/province is occupied mountain lion habitat? How many square miles does this represent? About 560,000 square kilometers or 60 percent of B.C. is cougar habitat. 3. What is your estimated mountain lion population? Estimated cougar population is >4,000, based solely on regional intuition. 4. What is the five-year trend in the population size? The five year trend in population size is stable or increasing in all management regions with huntable cougar populations. Sightings and animal control complaints indicate cougar are also established in Regions 6 and 7, but there are insufficient data to allow a hunting season. 5. What is your mountain lion depredation policy? 5a. How many depredation incidents occur annually? 5b. How many lions are killed annually because of depredation? 6. What is your mountain lion public safety policy? 6a. How many public safety incidents related to lions occur annually? 6b. How many lions are killed annually for public safety reasons? Any cougar which threatens or attacks humans or livestock is to be pursued and killed if possible. Animals are only relocated if they have not caused a problem (usually just passing through and ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time), can be captured without threat of injury to personnel or the cat, and are an adult in good condition. All relocated animals are ear-tagged. Depredation and human safety incidents cannot be quantified and separated on a provincial basis without recourse to original Conservation Officer Service reports, which are not readily available. On a provincial scale, there are very few actual attacks on people, about one every other year. There are numerous complaints of cougar predation on livestock from all areas with cougar populations. On an annual basis, the total number of cougar killed for Animal Control averages 64 over the last five years and is increasing (31 in 1990 fiscal to 104 in 1994: these figures do not include those animals relocated or complaints where a cougar was not located). Most AC kills take place in Region 1, Vancouver Island. 7. What management actions do you use to reduce public safety incidents? All Ministry personnel interviewed by the press on the subject of cougar emphasis preventative measures to avoid or survive cougar encounters. Numerous talks to school children are given on cougar and bear safety every year. B.C. Environment, Wildlife Branch has also put out a brochure Safety Guide to Cougars, available at all Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Forests offices, and Government Access Centres.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP 103 8. How many lions are killed annually by hunters? Hunter kill varies by region, depending on access, season length, quotas, and snowfall. Six regions with cougar seasons have three different season lengths, with female quotas in two regions, a total harvest quota in one region, and a provincial bag limit of two. The 1990-94 average harvest is 261 with an increasing harvest trend (220 in fiscal 1990 to 336 in fiscal 1994). 9. What is your annual budget for management of mountain lions? There is no single individual with provincial responsibility for cougar management nor any provincial budget other than that expended on data management. Budgets in regional offices are minimal (e.g., the total operational budget in 1995 for cougar, grizzly bear, wold, and black bear management in Region One is $5,000, which does not include funding secured for research). Funding for cougar research varies by region and year according to perceived need and ability to secure funding. Cougar are not a priority compared to grizzly bear. A best estimate of baseline funds targeted at cougar management would be $2,000/region for a total of $12,000. This is primarily associated with the time needed for compulsory inspection of all cougars killed. 10. Please summarize current and recent mountain lion research activities. One study is currently underway on Vancouver Island, determining population density and habitat use in an area of low deer population and extensive second growth forest. There is a second privately funded study ongoing in the East Kootenays, but I have not been able to obtain information on it. At least two more studies, one in an area with relatively more deer and more old growth forest on Vancouver Island, and one in the East Kootenays are proposed. Both will focus on determining population densities. 11. Are there current legislative or initiative actions which would affect mountain lion management in your state/province? No. Report Completed By: Knut Atkinson
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Proceedings of the fifth mountain lion workshop: 27

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