Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

120
EFFECT OF ROADS ON HABITAT USE BY COUGARS
DOROTHY M. FECSKE, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, South Dakota State
University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA, email: gdf@rapidnet.com
JONATHAN A. JENKS, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, South Dakota State
University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA, email: Jonathan_Jenks@sdstate.edu
FREDERICK G. LINDZEY, USGS Biological Resources Division, Wyoming Cooperative Fish
and Wildlife Research Unit, University Station, Laramie, WY 82071, USA, email:
Flindzey@uwyo.edu
STEVEN L. GRIFFIN, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, 3305 W. South
Street, Rapid City, SD 57702, USA, email: Steve.Griffin@state.sd.us
Abstract: We examined effect of roads on habitat use by cougars, Puma concolor, in the Black
Hills, South Dakota. A total of 768 daytime locations of 12 radio-collared cougars were
obtained during weekly flights (1999 - 2001) using aerial telemetry techniques. Locations were
incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS) of roads (Class 1, 2, 3, and 4). We
tested the null hypotheses that cougars select habitat at random distances to roads and at random
road densities and cougar use of habitat near roads did not differ with respect to road class, sex,
age class, and habitat quality (based on a ranked cougar habitat-relation model). We examined
use of habitat near roads for an adult female cougar fitted with a Global Position System (GPS)
collar during crepuscular, diurnal, and nocturnal periods. Also, we identified road classes where
cougar snow tracks were located and cougar/vehicle collisions occurred. During daylight hours,
cougars avoided habitat near Class 3 roads (P < 0.001), the predominant road class in the Black
Hills. However, on occasions where cougars were located near Class 3 roads, high quality
habitat was selected. Cougars in the 5 to 6-year age class were located farther from Class 1 roads
than younger animals (P < 0.0001). Females in the 1 to 2-year age class were located closer to
Class 1 and Class 2 roads than older females (P < 0.0001). Females in 5 to 6 and 7 to 8-year age
classes were located closer to Class 4 roads (P = 0.0047) than younger females. Road densities
(km road/km 2 ) in annual home ranges of male cougars did not differ (P = 0.5000) from road
densities throughout the Black Hills study area but densities in annual ranges of females were
greater (P = 0.0078) than those of the study area. Cougars in the Black Hills have adapted to a
heavily roaded landscape but presence of roads is impacting cougar use of habitat and survival.
We suggest use of habitat near Class 3 roads by cougars would increase if roads were closed or
had limited access, and if thinned ponderosa pine stands adjacent to Class 3 and 4 roads were
managed for understory vegetation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP