Mountain Lion Population Research Articles

Impacts of management practices on habitat selection during juvenile mountain lion dispersal.

Dispersal is a complex series of movements before an individual establishes a home range. Animals must travel and forage in unfamiliar landscapes that include anthropogenic risks such as road crossings, harvest, and urban landscapes. We compare dispersal behavior of juvenile mountain lions (Puma concolor) from two geographically distinct populations in California and Nevada, USA. These two sites are ecologically similar but have different management practices; hunting is permitted in Nevada, whereas mountain lions are protected in California. We used GPS-collar data and net-squared displacement analysis to identify three dispersal states: exploratory, departure, and transient home range. We then compared each dispersal state of the two mountain lion populations using an integrated step selection analysis (iSSA). The model included explanatory variables hypothesized to influence one or more dispersal states, including distance to forest, shrub, water, hay and crop, developed lands, and four-wheel drive roads, as well as elevation and terrain ruggedness. Results revealed consistent habitat selection between sites across most landscape variables, with one notable exception: anthropogenic covariates, including distance to developed land, distance to hay and crop, and distance to four-wheeled drive roads, were only statistically significant on modeled habitat selection during dispersal in the population subject to hunting (i.e., Nevada). Results suggest that hunting (pursuit with hounds resulting in harvest) and non-lethal pursuit (pursuit with hounds but no harvest allowed) increase avoidance of anthropogenic landscapes during dispersal for juvenile mountain lions. By comparing populations, we provided valuable insights into the role of management in shaping dispersal behavior.

It's time to manage mountain lions in Texas

AbstractMountain lions, also called cougars, pumas and Florida panthers, are a wide‐ranging, large felid in the western hemisphere. Every U.S. state in which there are breeding populations of mountain lions offer the species some level of protection, except Texas. Here, we summarize historical research on mountain lions in Texas, human perceptions about the species, and historical discussions within Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) about mountain lion management obtained via the Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Ch. 552). To date, genetic research supports 2 distinct mountain lion populations, one west of the Pecos River and another in South Texas, which evidence suggests is suffering from isolation and is in immediate risk of extinction. Anthropogenic mortality rates in Texas are among the highest in the U.S., and well beyond the suggested harvest rates recommended to maintain stable mountain lion populations. Similarly, adult female mountain lion survival in Texas suggests that populations were likely declining when the studies were active. Internally, TPWD has repeatedly discussed initiating a mountain lion management policy, the benefits of requiring mandatory reporting for all mountain lion mortalities, as well as the unreliable nature of sightings data, which they have historically used as a metric for abundance. Public support, including among rural communities, is good for both mountain lions and TPWD. Ultimately, we present evidence to suggest that it is time to actively manage mountain lions in Texas and for the TPWD to create a management plan for the species. A management plan is both necessary to fulfill state mandates for the protection of nongame species, as well as to build a science‐based conservation strategy for the species.

Let Us Now Praise Mountain Lions: Revisiting Edward Abbey in the Santa Monica Mountains

More than 50 years have passed since Edward Abbey published Desert Solitaire—his persuasive tribute to the preservation of wilderness and wildlife, and over 30 years since he penned. In Praise of Mountain Lions: Original Praises (1984), Abbey predicted how hyper-urbanization and anthropogenic stressors would lead to habitat fragmentation and to an extinction vortex among mountain lion populations. In this essay, I engage in an interdisciplinary approach employing Edward Abbey’s esthetic theory, political ideologies, and polemic land ethic to examine the urgent plight of mountain lions struggling to survive today in the Santa Monica Mountains. It is my hope that the synthesis of Edward Abbey’s political admonitions will contribute to the emerging body of interdisciplinary environmental literary criticism and research to advocate for the protection of mountain lions in urbanized landscapes.

First reproductive signs of inbreeding depression in Southern California male mountain lions (Puma concolor)

Long-term studies of mountain lions (Puma concolor) in Southern California have documented persistent small population sizes and the lowest genetic variation of any mountain lion population, except for the Federally endangered mountain lion subspecies, the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi). There is overwhelming molecular evidence supporting inbreeding and low genetic diversity in these Southern California populations but there is a lack of phenotypical evidence of inbreeding depression. The primary goal of this study was to assess male mountain lions, in Southern California, for teratospermia (>60% abnormal sperm production), one of the first signs of inbreeding depression in mountain lions that are associated with decreased reproduction and population decline. From December 2019 to December 2020, we surveyed mountain lions during live captures, after mortality events, and in images collected from camera traps in the following populations: Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains, Santa Ana Mountains, and the Eastern Peninsular Range. Mountain lions were sampled for known physical abnormalities associated with inbreeding depression such as teratospermia, cryptorchidism, and distal tail kinks. For teratospermia, we extracted testes from five males post-mortem to assess sperm morphology. Epididymal sperm evaluations revealed all males were teratospermic. Across all samples, on average, 93% of observed spermatozoa were abnormal. We physically examined 32 mountain lions (males and females) for distal tail kinks, and we observed one individual affected. We examined 15 male mountain lions for cryptorchidism, and we observed one unilaterally cryptorchid male and one male with testes that differed significantly in size, likely reflecting asynchronous migration of the testes during puberty. Further, we identified three other animals in camera-trap images that had distal tail kinks, for a total of four. In conclusion, from December 2019 to December 2020, we identified nine individuals exhibiting physical signs of inbreeding depression. These reproductive and physical signs of inbreeding depression in Southern California mountain lions increase the urgency of conservation efforts in the region.

Regional variability in pregnancy and survival rates of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep

AbstractIn the Rocky Mountains, bighorn sheep restoration has been only marginally effective; this iconic wilderness species currently exists at a fraction of their historic abundance and often in fragmented and small populations. To inform bighorn sheep conservation and restoration efforts, it is critical to understand sources of variation in key vital rates. Our objectives were to characterize the spatiotemporal variations and factors affecting survival and pregnancy rates of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) using data from 19 bighorn sheep populations in Montana and Wyoming that occupied diverse landscapes ranging from the Northern Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains. We used a hierarchical modeling approach to estimate survival and pregnancy rates of adult females and identify the important intrinsic and environmental factors affecting these vital rates. Survival of prime‐aged animals was relatively high and stable, and pregnancy rates for prime‐aged animals showed more overall variation in response to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Summer growing season, as indexed by integrated NDVI, positively influenced the probability of pregnancy and winter survival. This highlights the important relationship between summer growing season conditions and bighorn sheep physiological status. An index of mountain lion population abundance was related weakly to winter survival of bighorn sheep, with mountain lion abundance on winter ranges negatively affecting winter survival. Our results regarding the distribution of the estimated probabilities of pregnancy and survival, and the identification of factors associated with regional variability in these vital rates provide a foundation for understanding the dynamics of bighorn sheep populations in the Rocky Mountains. The importance of summer growing season conditions suggests management efforts should focus on maintaining and improving nutritional resources on bighorn sheep summer ranges, in efforts to enhance the condition of animals entering the breeding season and nutrient‐limited winter season. Although we document nontrivial changes in both pregnancy and winter survival rates associated with environmental variation, our results broadly support the dominant paradigm of ungulate demography insofar as survival rates of adult females were relatively higher and had less variation than pregnancy rates.

Minimum habitat thresholds required for conserving mountain lion genetic diversity.

Jointly considering the ecology (e.g., habitat use) and genetics (e.g., population genetic structure and diversity) of a species can increase understanding of current conservation status and inform future management practices. Previous analyses indicate that mountain lion (Puma concolor) populations in California are genetically structured and exhibit extreme variation in population genetic diversity. Although human development may have fragmented gene flow, we hypothesized the quantity and quality of remaining habitat available would affect the genetic viability of each population. Our results indicate that area of suitable habitat, determined via a resource selection function derived using 843,500 location fixes from 263 radio‐collared mountain lions, is strongly and positively associated with population genetic diversity and viability metrics, particularly with effective population size. Our results suggested that contiguous habitat of ≥10,000 km2 may be sufficient to alleviate the negative effects of genetic drift and inbreeding, allowing mountain lion populations to maintain suitable effective population sizes. Areas occupied by five of the nine geographic–genetic mountain lion populations in California fell below this habitat threshold, and two (Santa Monica Area and Santa Ana) of those five populations lack connectivity to nearby populations. Enhancing ecological conditions by protection of greater areas of suitable habitat and facilitating positive evolutionary processes by increasing connectivity (e.g., road‐crossing structures) might promote persistence of small or isolated populations. The conservation status of suitable habitat also appeared to influence genetic diversity of populations. Thus, our results demonstrate that both the area and status (i.e., protected or unprotected) of suitable habitat influence the genetic viability of mountain lion populations.

A retrospective look at mountain lion populations in California (1906–2018)

A retrospective look at mountain lion populations in California (1906–2018)

Using Mountain Lion Habitat Selection in Management

ABSTRACTWildlife agencies are generally tasked with managing and conserving species at state and local levels simultaneously. Thus, it is necessary for wildlife agencies to understand basic ecological processes of a given species at multiple scales to aid decision making at commensurately varied spatial and behavioral scales. Mountain lions (Puma concolor) occur throughout California, USA, and are at the center of a variety of management and conservation issues. For example, they are genetically and demographically at risk in 1 region yet apparently stable and negatively affecting endangered species in another. Currently, no formal plan exists for mountain lions in California to deal with these diverse scenarios involving issues of local mountain lion population viability and problems related to predation of endangered species. To facilitate development of a state‐wide management and conservation plan, we quantified habitat selection by mountain lions at 2 spatial scales across the range of environmental conditions in which the species is found in California. Our analyses used location data from individuals (n = 263) collared across the state from 2001–2019. At the home range scale, mountain lions selected habitat to prioritize meeting energetic demands. At the within home range scale, mountain lions avoided areas of human activity. Further, our analyses revealed 165,350–170,085 km2, depending on season, of suitable mountain lion habitat in California. Fifty percent of the suitable habitat was on unprotected lands and thus vulnerable to development. These habitat selection models will help in the development of a state‐wide conservation and management plan for mountain lions in California by guiding mountain lion population monitoring through time, prioritization of habitat to be conserved for maintaining demographic connectivity and gene flow, and efforts to mediate mountain lion‐prey interactions. Our work and application area will help with wildlife policy and management decisions related to depredation problems at the local scale and issues of habitat connectivity at the statewide scale. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.

Estimating Mountain Lion Abundance in Arizona Using Statistical Population Reconstruction

ABSTRACTDirectly monitoring abundance of cryptic species, such as mountain lions (Puma concolor), over large areas is a challenge for wildlife managers because traditional population estimation techniques may be impractical and expensive. We generated annual estimates of mountain lion abundance in Arizona, USA, for 2004–2018 by employing statistical population reconstruction methods, which use available age‐at‐harvest data and auxiliary information such as estimated survival rates, harvest probabilities, and hunter effort. Using PopRecon 2.0 software, we estimated that the statewide abundance of all mountain lions including kittens ranged from 1,848 (95% CI = 650–3,046) to 4,661 (95% CI = 393–9,030) during 2004–2018. Abundance for subadults and adults was more stable and precisely estimated, ranging from 1,166 (95% CI = 622–1,709) to 1,715 (95% CI = 872–2,558). Our results suggest a stable statewide mountain lion population. This approach provides a practical and cost‐effective option for monitoring Arizona's mountain lion population, and will improve the ability of managers to monitor the population annually to respond to changes in abundance and to evaluate factors that influence mountain lion abundance. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.

Effects of wolf pack size and winter conditions on elk mortality

ABSTRACTElk (Cervus canadensis) are high‐profile game animals for many states in the western United States, yet over the past several decades some populations have experienced a persistent and broad‐scale decline in recruitment. Over this same period, gray wolves (Canis lupus) have become an integral component of many western landscapes and agencies are increasingly challenged to maximize hunting opportunities of ungulates via predator management while simultaneously ensuring wolf conservation. To better understand the implications of predator management on elk populations, we monitored survival of 1,244 adult female elk and 806 6‐month‐old calves from 29 populations distributed throughout Idaho, USA, from 2004 to 2016. We developed predictive models of mortality that related mortality risk to wolf pack size, winter conditions, and individual‐level characteristics. Annual mortality rates (excluding harvest) for adult females and calves were 0.09 and 0.40, respectively. Calf mortality was predicted best with a model that included additive effects of chest girth at time of capture, mean size of surrounding wolf packs, and snow depth. Adult female mortality was predicted best with a model that included female age, mean size of surrounding wolf packs, and snow depth. Based on a sensitivity analysis, chest girth had the largest effect on risk of mortality for calves followed by pack size and snow depth. Other than the effect of senescence in the oldest (>15 yr) individuals, pack size and snow depth had the largest effect on risk of mortality for adult females. We estimated cause‐specific mortality and predation was the dominant cause of known‐fate mortalities for adult females (35% mountain lion [Puma concolor] and 32% wolf) and calves (45% mountain lion and 28% wolf), whereas malnutrition accounted for 9% and 10% of adult female and calf mortalities, respectively. Wolves preferentially selected smaller calves and older adult females, whereas mountain lions showed little preference for calf size or age class of adult females. Our study indicates managers can increase elk survival by reducing wolf pack sizes on surrounding winter ranges, especially in areas where, or during years when, snow is deep. Additionally, managers interested in improving over‐winter calf survival can implement actions to increase the size of calves entering winter by increasing the nutritional quality of summer and early fall forage resources. Although our study was prompted by management questions related to wolves, mountain lions killed more elk than wolves and differences in selection of individual elk indicate mountain lions may have comparably more of an effect on elk population dynamics. Although we were unable to relate changes in mountain lion populations to elk survival in our study, future research should seek a better understanding of multi‐predator systems, including how management of one predator affect others and ultimately how these interactions affect elk survival. © 2019 The Wildlife Society

Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) Population Characteristics in the Little Missouri Badlands of North Dakota

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) have many impacts on the ecosystems they inhabit, leading to both biological and social ramifications. Yet, due to the relatively recent natural recolonization by mountain lions of the Little Missouri Badlands Region of western North Dakota, detailed data regarding many aspects of this population have been lacking. We studied mountain lions occupying the Badlands Region to improve our understanding of the characteristics of the North Dakota mountain lion population. Our objectives included estimating annual survival rates, documenting sources of mortality in this population, and creating a population model using statistical population reconstruction (SPR) techniques. Between 2012 and 2016, the average annual survival rate estimated from known fate models was 0.456. Sex-specific annual survival was estimated at 0.589 for females and 0.259 for males. We recorded 17 cause-specific mortalities of marked mountain lions over the same 5 y period, plus the probable failures of two litters of marked dependent kittens. Results from our population model indicate annual population abundance estimates between 2005 and 2017 ranged from a low of 27 total mountain lions in 2005–2006 to a high of 165 in 2011–2012. The model indicated an increasing trend in total abundance between 2005 and 2012, then a reversal and sharp drop in abundance from 2012 to 2014, until the trend leveled with similar total abundances from 2014 to 2017. The results from our study can help inform current and future management decisions in North Dakota and may also provide insight for managers faced with potential mountain lion recolonization further eastward in the United States.

Extinction vortex dynamics of top predators isolated by urbanization.

Extinction risk is elevated in small, isolated populations due to demographic and genetic interactions. Therefore, it is critical to model these processes realistically in population viability analyses (PVA) to inform local management and contribute to a greater understanding of mechanisms within the extinction vortex. We conducted PVA's for two small mountain lion populations isolated by urbanization in southern California to predict population growth, extinction probability, and loss of genetic diversity with empirical data. Specifically, we (1) provide the first PVA for isolated mountain lions in the Santa Ana Mountains (SAM) that considers both demographic and genetic risk factors and (2) test the hypothesis that variation in abundance and mortality between the SAM and Santa Monica Mountains (SMM) result in differences in population growth, loss of heterozygosity, and extinction probability. Our models predicted 16-21% probability of local extinction in the SAM due purely to demographic processes over 50yr with current low levels or no immigration. Our models also predicted that genetic diversity will further erode in the SAM such that concern regarding inbreeding depression is warranted unless gene flow is increased, and that if inbreeding depression occurs, rapid local extinction will be highly likely. Dynamics of the two populations were broadly similar, but they also exhibited differences driven by larger population size and higher mortality in the SAM. Density-independent scenarios predicted a rapidly increasing population in the SMM, whereas growth potential did not differ from a stable trend in the SAM. Demographic extinction probability and loss of heterozygosity were greater in the SMM for density-dependent scenarios without immigration. However, higher levels of immigration had stronger, positive influences on both demographic viability and retention of genetic diversity in the SMM driven by lower abundance and higher adult survival. Our results elucidate demographic and genetic threats to small populations within the extinction vortex, and how these vary relative to demographic structure. Importantly, simulating seemingly attainable increases in connectivity was sufficient to greatly reduce extinction probability. Our work highlights that conservation of large carnivores is achievable within urbanized landscapes, but requires land protection, connectivity, and strategies to promote coexistence with humans.

Habitat Suitability Analysis for Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) Recolonization/ Reintroduction in Minnesota

Abstract The mountain lion range once extended throughout the state of Minnesota. The breeding population has been greatly reduced with time, new roads, and timber harvesting, which have broken large tracts of contiguous forest into isolated patches that are too small and no longer suitable for the breeding mountain lion population. The objective of this study is to use suitability analysis to determine the most suitable habitat to conserve mountain lion populations threatened by habitat fragmentation. To attain our objective, we created three sub models that contribute to the overarching goal of the suitability model. A habitat sub model was developed for finding the best habitat, a food sub model for access to the maximum amount of food needed, and a security sub model focusing on the distance from houses, roads, and urban development. Using the Weighted Sum tool, the three sub models were combined to produce a suitability surface based on the trade-off of the preferences of the goals represented by each sub model. Our suitability model shows large areas of high-quality mountain lion habitat in the northern and north-eastern sections of the state. These areas contain favourable locations for mountain lion habitat, such as forested land cover, low-density populations, steep slopes, short distances to streams, and area unimpeded by major roads. The southern and western parts of the state are characterized by lower slopes, more agricultural land, grassland, developed land, and higher population density, which results in lower quality habitat. The twin cities have the worst mountain lion habitat.

Survival of Translocated Bighorn Sheep In the Deadwood Region of the Black Hills, South Dakota

Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) historically inhabited the Black Hills region of South Dakota, but the species was extirpated from the area in the early 1900s concurrent with declines in population throughout their entire North American range. Translocation is a common management tool allowing for accelerated colonization of historic Bighorn Sheep habitat, but many attempts are unsuccessful. Mountain Lions (Puma concolor) and pneumonia are generally considered the most common limiting factors to Bighorn Sheep populations. Twenty-six Bighorn Sheep were translocated from Alberta, Canada to the Deadwood region of the northern Black Hills, an area with both a resident Mountain Lion population and potential for contact with Domestic Sheep (Ovis aries) and Goats (Capra hircus), known carriers of pathogens that are lethal to Bighorn Sheep. Adult survival and natality increased the population substantially in year 1, however, the only breeding-age male was euthanized owing to concerns about potential for pathogen transmission from Domestic Sheep and Goats. In year 2, the population experienced a pneumonia outbreak, resulting in 57.9% of all mortalities during the study period. Mountain Lion predation was not detected, nor was direct contact with Domestic Sheep or Goats observed. Intensive monitoring was critical in determining the outcome of the translocation.

Seasonal Spatial Ecology of Mountain Lions (Puma concolor) in the Central Sierra Nevada

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) were captured and radio-collared in the Sierra National Forest between 1983 and 1992 to study the species' seasonal spatial patterns in a location where migratory mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are its primary prey. Some mountain lions displayed seasonal migratory shifts in elevation that mirrored those of their migratory prey; others resided at lower elevations year-round. Home range size for all mountain lions was larger in summer ( = 231 km2) than in winter ( = 110 km2), whether or not an individual exhibited seasonal migratory shifts in elevation. Due to seasonal shifts in home range size and, for part of the mountain lion population, in elevation, minimum density of mountain lions in the study area also differed seasonally (summer, 0.87 per 100 km2; winter, 1.42 per 100 km2). Overall, these findings demonstrate differing space use strategies (migratory vs. resident) within a large carnivore population that have important management implications for large carnivores because these strategies provide context for population monitoring and conflict mitigation efforts.

Distinguishing values from science in decision making: Setting harvest quotas for mountain lions in Montana

ABSTRACTThe relative roles of science and human values can be difficult to distinguish when informal processes are used to make complex and contentious decisions in wildlife management. Structured Decision Making (SDM) offers a formal process for making such decisions, where scientific results and concepts can be disentangled from the values of differing stakeholders. We used SDM to formally integrate science and human values for a citizen working group of ungulate hunting advocates, lion hunting advocates, and outfitters convened to address the contentious allocation of harvest quotas for mountain lions (Puma concolor) in west‐central Montana, USA, during 2014. A science team consisting of mountain lion biologists and population ecologists convened to support the working group. The science team used integrated population models that incorporated 4 estimates of mountain lion density to estimate population trajectories for 5 alternative harvest quotas developed by the working group. Results of the modeling predicted that effects of each harvest quota were consistent across the 4 density estimates; harvest quotas affected predicted population trajectories for 5 years after implementation but differences were not strong. Based on these results, the focus of the working group changed to differences in values among stakeholders that were the true impediment to allocating harvest quotas. By distinguishing roles of science and human values in this process, the working group was able to collaboratively recommend a compromise solution. This solution differed little from the status quo that had been the focus of debate, but the SDM process produced understanding and buy‐in among stakeholders involved, reducing disagreements, misunderstanding, and unproductive arguments founded on informal application of scientific data and concepts. Whereas investments involved in conducting SDM may be unnecessary for many decisions in wildlife management, the investment may be beneficial for complex, contentious, and multiobjective decisions that integrate science and human values. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

Natural History of the Black Hills and Badlands by Sven G. Froiland

Reviewed by: Natural History of the Black Hills and Badlands by Sven G. Froiland Robert T. Reber MSF Natural History of the Black Hills and Badlands. By Sven G. Froiland. Sioux Falls: Center for Western Studies, 2016. iii + 225 pp. Maps, figures, bibliography, appendixes. $18.00 paper. The Black Hills of South Dakota is a forested island in the grassland ocean of the Great Plains. This region is unique from its geology to the distinctive ecosystems within its border. Froiland’s book does a superb job of introducing a student of natural history to the Black Hills. The book is divided into sections that detail general, historic, and biological information. This revised edition also includes a section that describes current environmental issues within the Black Hills and another section that details the Badlands. The appendixes contain useful information that ranges from a list of rare plant species to butterfly species present. A detailed geologic map of the Black Hills also is included, with a description of the topography and geology that is quite useful. Froiland uses the typical topographic features defined by previous researchers, from the Central Hills to the Hogback Ridge. He illustrates the interesting geology in each of the topographic zones and gives the reader adequate detail regarding the geologic processes that formed these areas. The section on human history includes information about Paleoindians through the later US Army expeditions. Of particular interest is his writings about the Sioux. He gives a detailed account of their trek from the western Great Lakes to the Great Plains where they had considerable influence in the mid-19th century. The biological information section includes the most comprehensive material in the book. The early expeditions into the Black Hills are documented, and their impact on local scientific knowledge is explained. Famous botanists, from Asa Gray to Per Axel Ryberg, made major contributions to the botanical discoveries in the area. Froiland details the major vegetative zones in the Black Hills and describes the principal plant and animal species found in each zone, from the grassland foothills to the white spruce forests at higher elevations. He covers the respective faunal community in sections describing amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Each section is prefaced for the natural history of the species. He supplies a checklist of the birds that are permanent residents, summer residents, and transients in the Black Hills, which birders will appreciate. The book culminates with a section on the current environment of the Hills and another on the Badlands. Froiland deals with issues ranging from water usage to mining. These themes are commonplace to the West. In the final section, the late Dr. Ronald R. Weeden elucidated geologic and biological topics relevant to the Badlands. This book is extremely useful for any student of natural history of the Black Hills. However, some of the material is dated. The revised edition was published in 1990. Much knowledge has been gained regarding early Native Americans and their migration to North America since the initial publication. Biological communities also have changed significantly. The book mentions the mountain pine beetle and documents the decline of this insect pest during the late 1980s, but the Black Hills have experienced dramatic deforestation by the beetle in the first decade of the 21st century. The mountain lion was reported as an infrequent visitor to the Black Hills, but today a significant population of mountain lions occupies the region. Froiland reported that condition of the black-footed ferret was unknown, but ferrets were reintroduced into the Badlands in the mid-1990s. The section regarding the current environment also is somewhat dated. However, despite these few shortcomings, this book will be valuable reference for anyone who is interested in the history, geology, flora, and fauna of the Black Hills. I currently teach a summer course on the natural history of the Black Hills, and this is the required book for the course. Robert T. Reber MSF Department of Environmental Science, Public Health, and Sustainable Development Taylor University Copyright © 2018 Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Interactions between demography, genetics, and landscape connectivity increase extinction probability for a small population of large carnivores in a major metropolitan area.

The extinction vortex is a theoretical model describing the process by which extinction risk is elevated in small, isolated populations owing to interactions between environmental, demographic, and genetic factors. However, empirical demonstrations of these interactions have been elusive. We modelled the dynamics of a small mountain lion population isolated by anthropogenic barriers in greater Los Angeles, California, to evaluate the influence of demographic, genetic, and landscape factors on extinction probability. The population exhibited strong survival and reproduction, and the model predicted stable median population growth and a 15% probability of extinction over 50 years in the absence of inbreeding depression. However, our model also predicted the population will lose 40-57% of its heterozygosity in 50 years. When we reduced demographic parameters proportional to reductions documented in another wild population of mountain lions that experienced inbreeding depression, extinction probability rose to 99.7%. Simulating greater landscape connectivity by increasing immigration to greater than or equal to one migrant per generation appears sufficient to largely maintain genetic diversity and reduce extinction probability. We provide empirical support for the central tenet of the extinction vortex as interactions between genetics and demography greatly increased extinction probability relative to the risk from demographic and environmental stochasticity alone. Our modelling approach realistically integrates demographic and genetic data to provide a comprehensive assessment of factors threatening small populations.

Effects of male targeted harvest regimes on prey switching by female mountain lions: Implications for apparent competition on declining secondary prey

Apparent competition, or predator selection for rare secondary prey instead of abundant primary prey, is causing prey declines in many species worldwide. The causal mechanism for apparent competition is either lower intrinsic growth rate in the secondary prey or higher disproportionate predation by predators for secondary prey. Harvest regimes which target male carnivores are now widely accepted to result in increased sexually selected infanticide (SSI) because of rapid male turnover and immigration by non-sire males, and sexually segregated habitat use because of female avoidance of infanticidal males. If harvest regimes which target male mountain lions cause increased SSI and sexually segregated habitat use by females with young, it could also cause inverse prey switching by females with young or apparent competition in declining secondary prey. We tested for inverse prey switching by female mountain lions with young — from abundant increasing white-tailed deer at low elevations to declining mule deer at high elevations in a heavily hunted, sexually segregated population of mountain lions. The “no effect of targeted male harvest” hypothesis predicts that none or all sexes and reproductive classes of mountain lions will select for mule deer. The “targeted male harvest effect” hypothesis predicts that only females with young will select for declining mule deer. We rejected the “no effect of targeted male harvest” hypothesis and accepted the “targeted male harvest effect” hypothesis because only females with cubs selected for declining mule deer at high elevations and only during summer, when kittens were vulnerable to infanticide — other sex and reproductive classes selected for abundant increasing white-tailed deer at low elevations. We suggest that harvest regimes which focus on male harvest to reduce predation on declining secondary prey could be causing increased predation on declining secondary prey elsewhere.

Linking resource selection and mortality modeling for population estimation of mountain lions in Montana

To be most effective, the scale of wildlife management practices should match the range of a particular species’ movements. For this reason, combined with our inability to rigorously or regularly census mountain lion populations, several authors have suggested that mountain lions be managed in a source-sink or metapopulation framework. We used a combination of resource selection functions, mortality estimation, and dispersal modeling to estimate cougar population levels in Montana statewide and potential population level effects of planned harvest levels. Between 1980 and 2012, 236 independent mountain lions were collared and monitored for research in Montana. From these data we used 18,695 GPS locations collected during winter from 85 animals to develop a resource selection function (RSF), and 11,726 VHF and GPS locations from 142 animals along with the locations of 6343 mountain lions harvested from 1988–2011 to validate the RSF model. Our RSF model validated well in all portions of the State, although it appeared to perform better in Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) Regions 1, 2, 4 and 6, than in Regions 3, 5, and 7. Our mean RSF based population estimate for the total population (kittens, juveniles, and adults) of mountain lions in Montana in 2005 was 3926, with almost 25% of the entire population in MFWP Region 1. Estimates based on a high and low reference population estimates produce a possible range of 2784 to 5156 mountain lions statewide. Based on a range of possible survival rates we estimated the mountain lion population in Montana to be stable to slightly increasing between 2005 and 2010 with lambda ranging from 0.999 (SD=0.05) to 1.02 (SD=0.03). We believe these population growth rates to be a conservative estimate of true population growth. Our model suggests that proposed changes to female harvest quotas for 2013–2015 will result in an annual statewide population decline of 3% and shows that, due to reduced dispersal, changes to harvest in one management unit may affect population growth in neighboring units where smaller or even no changes were made. Uncertainty regarding dispersal levels and initial population density may have a significant effect on predictions at a management unit scale (i.e. 2000km2), while at a regional scale (i.e. 50,000km2) large differences in initial population density result in relatively small changes in population growth rate, and uncertainty about dispersal may not be as influential. Doubling the presumed initial density from a low estimation of 2.19 total animals per 100km2 resulted in a difference in annual population growth rate of only 2.6% statewide when compared to high density of 4.04 total animals per 100km2 (low initial population estimate λ=0.99, while high initial population estimate λ=1.03). We suggest modeling tools such as this may be useful in harvest planning at a regional and statewide level.