Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

handgun, shotgun, muzzleloading rifles,
hand-held bows, and crossbows. It is illegal
to kill a kitten or a female accompanied by
kittens.
DEPREDATION AND PUMA-HUMAN
CONFLICT
Colorado is liable for damage caused by
big game, with certain limitations and
restrictions. From 1972 until 2001 CDOW
had to pay for damage by puma and black
bear to any real or personal property. Black
bear damage claims often included vehicles,
buildings, appliances, etc., as well as
livestock, but puma damage claims have
been restricted to cattle, sheep, or other
animals. Beginning in 2001, State liability
was limited to agricultural products and
property used in the production of raw
agricultural products. Liability was also
changed so that the State is not liable for
more than $5,000 per animal.
With the exception of 2000 the number
of damage claims and the cost of damage
have declined since 1997 (Figure 5). High
damage costs in 2000 were mostly due to 6
claims for the loss of 8 exotic domestic
animals such as alpaca, llama, and
250000
225000
200000
175000
150000
125000
100000
75000
50000
25000
0
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
Sheep Cattle Other Stock
Figure 5. Amount paid on claims for
depredation by puma in Colorado.
1997
1999
2001
COLORADO MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPORT · Apker 17
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP
commercially owned elk. Procedures for
handling damage claims are governed by
statute, regulations, and a game damage
procedures manual.
The State has no specific policy
document providing direction for handling
puma-human conflicts. However, following
a human fatality in 1991, DOW staff
developed procedures that have generally
been adopted. Encounters involving puma
are categorized as sightings, encounter
involving pets, aggressive behavior toward
humans, or attack on humans. Agency
responses to these types of encounters vary
from providing education and information to
pursue-kill the puma. In the past 5 years,
fewer than 5-10 encounters beyond sightings
are documented each year.
On average over the past 5 years about
20 puma per year are killed for reasons other
than hunting. Most of these, 12 per year, are
control actions on depredating animals. The
remainders are the result of road kills or
illegal kills. Less than 1 per year on average
are killed due to human safety concerns.
PUMA RESEARCH PROGRAMS
There are no current research
investigations being conducted on puma.
The Division of Wildlife is in the process of
hiring a research scientist specializing in
carnivores with emphasis on puma initially.