Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA MOUNTAIN LION STATUS REPORT
MIKE KINTIGH, Regional Supervisor, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, 3305 West South St.,
Rapid City, SD 57702, USA, email: Mike.Kintigh@state.sd.us
INTRODUCTION
South Dakota (SD) is currently
developing a management plan for mountain
lions. The second draft of this document is
currently under review by South Dakota
Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SD
GFP) staff. This document is also available
to the public and interested parties for
review and comment. A copy can be
obtained by contacting Regional Supervisor
Mike Kintigh (listed above) or Dr. Larry
Gigliotti at 605-773-4231. This summer/fall
SD GFP will be taking further steps to
solicit public comments on the management
plan.
Mountain Lions are currently classified
as a State Threatened Species in SD.
However, in July that classification will
likely change significantly. Legislative
action in January of 2003 closed a legal
loophole by defining the lion as a big game
animal. This action will facilitate the
removal of the lion from the State’s
Threatened Species List. Game
Commission action is still required to
finalize the delisting and this is expected to
occur in early June. Forty-five days is
required for any commission finalization
actions to take effect and this will occur in
mid July, after the legislative action
becomes law on July 1, 2003.
It is important to note that while the lion
will be taken off the threatened species list
in South Dakota, it will actually gain
additional protection under law by being
defined as a big game animal. Criminal
penalties will increase from class 2
misdemeanors to class 1 misdemeanors,
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Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop
carrying higher fines and longer jail
sentences.
A misconception exists in that by
classifying the lion as a big game animal a
hunting season will immediately be
implemented. This is absolutely false! The
lion will continue to be fully protected as a
big game animal with a continuously closed
season until at some undetermined point
when additional management decisions are
made.
South Dakota has many objectives
concerning mountain lion management.
They are as follows:
A) Evaluate the Legal status of the
Mountain Lion in SD by April 1,
2003.
B) Evaluate strategies for monitoring &
censusing Mountain Lion
populations in SD by 2005.
C) Maintain a statewide database of Mt.
Lion activity including sightings,
human interactions, depredation
events and lion mortality.
D) Develop a list of Mt. Lion research
needs. Evaluate and prioritize
annually.
E) Develop Mt. Lion population
management methods that are
consistent with established goals and
objectives.
F) Identify and describe suitable habitat
areas and parameters for Mt. Lions
in SD by Sept. 2003.
G) Develop a comprehensive Public
Education strategy for informing and
educating the Staff, citizens and