Population Characteristics and Movement Patterns of Cougars in Southern Utah

摘要: Twenty-two cougars (Felis concolor) were monitored by radiotelemetry between January 1979 and July 1981 in southern Utah. The population, comprised of resident, transient, juvenile cougars, remained relatively constant during the study. Densities (0.3-0.5 cougars/100 km2) considerably lower home-area size four resident females (685 km2, SE = 257, range 396-1,454) a single male (826 larger than reported for other areas. Home areas overlapped, but with exception family groups, close spatial associations rare. Dispersal cubs appeared independent adult density. Density was apparently regulated social pattern based on land tenure, limited abundance mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), their principal prey. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 48(4):1275-1284 elusive nature cougar, coupled its common reputation as destructive predator, has hampered field studies this species. Work Idaho Hornocker (1969, 1970) Seidensticker et al. (1973) indicated that an cougar population consisted breeding residents variable number transients established residency bred only when sites provided removal residents. In addition, they concluded constraints maintained below level set prey densities. More recent information from Nevada (Ashman 1981), California (Sitton 1977; Koford 1978; Hopkins al., press), Arizona (Shaw 1977, 1979, 1982), Colorado (Currier 1977), British Columbia (Dewar Dewar 1976) demonstrated behavioral variability cougars. Although differences density might be expected under varying environmental conditions, composition dispersion patterns are less easily explained. Shaw (1977), Sitton D. Ashman (pers. commun.), (in press) found males used overlapping areas, did not observe sharing Similarly, female overlap recorded California. contrast to investigators, more no study six objective our investigate movement characteristics unhunted isolated heterogeneous area southcentral We grateful A. Button his indispensable help houndsman chief technician. W. helped capture operations site winter camp. Coleman families, M. Reid, F. VanDyke, K. Johnson, Shepardson, Parr, H. Hemker, B. Blakesley, R. E. Gruenig, 'Funding Utah Div. Wildl. Resour. conducted auspices Coop. Res. Unit: Resour., State Univ., U.S. Fish Serv., Manage. Inst. cooperating. 2 Present address: Department Game, P.O. Box 4229, Pocatello, ID 83205. 48(4):1984 1275 This content downloaded 157.55.39.144 Wed, 07 Sep 2016 05:49:04 UTC All use subject http://about.jstor.org/terms 1276 SOUTHERN UTAH COUGAR POPULATION * Hemker L. Cox, Peters assisted fieldwork. Coles, G. Guyman, N. V. Hancock, C. Jensen, T. Gardiner, Rettberg (UDWR) important support advice. Dixon, Knowlton gave valuable criticism manuscript. Cooperation USDA For. Serv. USDI Bur. Land (BLM). Ecol. Cent. final stages