Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

EVALUATION OF HABITAT FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE ABUNDANCE OF
PUMAS IN THE CHIHUAHUAN DESERT
JOEL LOREDO SALAZAR, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Apdo. Postal 63. CP 91070 Jalapa, Ver.
México, email: loredosj@ecologia.edu.mx
LUCINA HERNÁNDEZ, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Apartado Postal 632, 34100 Durango,
Dgo., México, email: lucina@sequia.edu.mx
JOHN W. LAUNDRÉ, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Apartado Postal 632, 34100 Durango, Dgo.,
México, email: launjohn@prodigy.net.mx
Abstract: Pumas originally occupied all of Mexico but their current status is not well known.
This is especially true in the Chihuahuan desert of Northern Mexico. To manage this species in
this area, it is important to have some estimation of their status. To evaluate the status of pumas
in this area we need to first identify factors that may contribute to their rarity or abundance.
Such factors can be placed into three separate but related groups: habitat quality, prey
abundance, and human impacts. To evaluate these various factors, we selected two mountain
ranges in the northern Chihuahuan desert where previous work indicated differences in the
relative abundance of pumas. The area of low puma abundance was El Cuervo near Aldama,
Chihuahua and the area of high abundance was Sierra Rica in the Canyon de Santa Elena
protected area. In the field we estimated habitat quality by measuring shrub density, cover, and
height. We also estimated prey (wild and domestic) abundance by counting fecal groups along
random transects. With the use of GIS technology we assessed human impacts by determining
the number of roads, number and size of towns, and overall density of humans in a 20 km radius
around each range. Our results indicate that habitat quality was similar between the two areas.
However, wild and domestic prey was higher in Santa Elena and all measurements of human
impact were higher in El Cuervo. We concluded that habitat quality was not a factor
contributing to relative puma abundance. However, the increased presence of and access by
humans in El Cuervo is the main contributing factor via illegal hunting of pumas and their prey.
Future work will test this hypothesis in other areas of the Chihuahuan desert. If this hypothesis
is supported, it indicates that conservation efforts of pumas in Northern Mexico need center on
environmental education rather than habitat protection/restoration.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP
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