scholarly journals Mountain lions prey selectively on prion-infected mule deer

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline E. Krumm ◽  
Mary M. Conner ◽  
N. Thompson Hobbs ◽  
Don O. Hunter ◽  
Michael W. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Mule Deer ◽  
Odocoileus Hemionus ◽  
Disease Prevalence ◽  
Front Range ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Wasting Disease ◽  
Mountain Lions ◽  
Mountain Lion ◽  
Prey Items

The possibility that predators choose prey selectively based on age or condition has been suggested but rarely tested. We examined whether mountain lions ( Puma concolor ) selectively prey upon mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) infected with chronic wasting disease, a prion disease. We located kill sites of mountain lions in the northern Front Range of Colorado, USA, and compared disease prevalence among lion-killed adult (≥2 years old) deer with prevalence among sympatric deer taken by hunters in the vicinity of kill sites. Hunter-killed female deer were less likely to be infected than males (odds ratios (OR) = 0.2, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.1–0.6; p = 0.015). However, both female (OR = 8.5, 95% CI = 2.3–30.9) and male deer (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1–10) killed by a mountain lion were more likely to be infected than same-sex deer killed in the vicinity by a hunter ( p < 0.001), suggesting that mountain lions in this area actively selected prion-infected individuals when targeting adult mule deer as prey items.

scholarly journals Mountain lion ( Puma concolor ) feeding behavior in the Little Missouri Badlands of North Dakota

2015 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 373-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
David T. Wilckens ◽  
Joshua B. Smith ◽  
Stephanie A. Tucker ◽  
Daniel J. Thompson ◽  
Jonathan A. Jenks
Keyword(s):  
North Dakota ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Mountain Lions ◽  
Mountain Lion ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
The North ◽  
Kill Rate ◽  
Prey Populations

Abstract Recent recolonization of mountain lions ( Puma concolor ) into the Little Missouri Badlands of North Dakota has led to questions regarding the potential impacts of predation on prey populations in the region. From 2012 to 2013, we deployed 9 real-time GPS collars to investigate mountain lion feeding habits. We monitored mountain lions for 1,845 telemetry-days, investigated 506 GPS clusters, and identified 292 feeding events. Deer ( Odocoileus spp.) were the most prevalent item in mountain lion diets (76.9%). We used logistic regression to predict feeding events and size of prey consumed at an additional 535 clusters. Our top model for predicting presence of prey items produced a receiver operating characteristic score of 0.90 and an overall accuracy of 81.4%. Application of our models to all GPS clusters resulted in an estimated ungulate kill rate of 1.09 ungulates/week (95% confidence interval [ CI ] = 0.83–1.36) in summer (15 May‒15 November) and 0.90 ungulates/week (95% CI = 0.69–1.12) in winter (16 November‒14 May). Estimates of total biomass consumed were 5.8kg/day (95% CI = 4.7–6.9) in summer and 7.2kg/day (95% CI = 5.3–9.2) in winter. Overall scavenge rates were 3.7% in summer and 11.9% in winter. Prey composition included higher proportions of nonungulates in summer (female = 21.5%; male = 24.8%) than in winter (female = 4.8%; male = 7.5%). Proportion of juvenile ungulates in mountain lion diets increased during the fawning season (June‒August) following the ungulate birth pulse in June (June–August = 60.7%, 95% CI = 43.0–78.3; September–May = 37.2%, 95% CI = 30.8–43.7), resulting in an ungulate kill rate 1.61 times higher (1.41 ungulates/week, 95% CI = 1.12–1.71) than during the remainder of the year (0.88 ungulates/week, 95% CI = 0.62–1.13). Quantifying these feeding characteristics is essential to assessing the potential impacts of mountain lions on prey populations in the North Dakota Badlands, where deer dominate the available prey base and mountain lions represent the lone apex predator.

Impact of puma predation on the decline and recovery of a mule deer population in southeastern Idaho

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (11) ◽  
pp. 1555-1565 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.W. Laundré ◽  
L. Hernández ◽  
S.G. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Population Change ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Mule Deer ◽  
Odocoileus Hemionus ◽  
Winter Mortality ◽  
Deer Population ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Proximate Factor ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact

We modeled the impact of puma ( Puma concolor (L., 1771)) predation on the decline and recovery of mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque, 1817)) in southern Idaho based on estimates of puma numbers, predation rates of pumas, and reproductive variables of deer. Deer populations peaked in 1992–1993, then declined more than 55% and remained low for the next 11 years. Puma numbers peaked 4–6 years after deer populations peaked but then declined to original levels. Estimated puma predation on the deer population before and after the decline was 2.2%–3.3% and 3.1%–5.8%, respectively. At high puma densities (>3 pumas/100 km2), predation by pumas delayed deer recovery by 2–3 years. Percent winter mortality of fawns (r2 = 0.62, P < 0.001) and adult female deer (r2 = 0.68, P < 0.001) correlated positively with December–January snowfall. Incorporation of winter snowfall amounts in the model produced a pattern of deer population change matching estimated changes based on field survey data. We conclude that pumas probably were a minor factor in the decline of the deer population in our area and did not suppress deer recovery. We propose that winter snowfall was the primary ultimate and proximate factor in the deer decline and suppression of their recovery.

scholarly journals Impacts of chronic wasting disease on a low density mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) population in the San Andres Mountains, Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Louis C. Bender ◽  
Cristina L. Rodden ◽  
Pat Mathis ◽  
Mara E. Weisenberger ◽  
Octavio C. Rosas Rosas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Mexico ◽  
Chronic Wasting Disease ◽  
Chihuahuan Desert ◽  
Mule Deer ◽  
Odocoileus Hemionus ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Wasting Disease ◽  
San Andres

scholarly journals MOUNTAIN LIONS (PUMA CONCOLOR) RESIST LONG-TERM DIETARY EXPOSURE TO CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

2022 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa L. Wolfe ◽  
Karen A. Fox ◽  
Karen A. Griffin ◽  
Michael W. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Wasting Disease ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Wasting Disease ◽  
Mountain Lions

scholarly journals Observations of Wild Cougar (Puma concolor) Kittens with Live Prey: Implications for Learning and Survival

2013 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 333 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Mark Elbroch ◽  
Howard Quigley
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Maternal Care ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Mule Deer ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Odocoileus Hemionus ◽  
Video Data ◽  
Operant Learning ◽  
Live Prey ◽  
In The Wild

The Cougar (Puma concolor) is a cryptic species in which social learning or opportunity learning has yet to be documented in the wild. “Opportunity teaching” is teaching in which an animal creates opportunities for conspecifics to observe or participate in operant learning. We present video data on an observation of Cougar kittens exhibiting social learning and inefficiency and inexperience in attempting to kill a live Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) fawn. Our observations provide evidence for the importance of maternal care and they help explain why Cougar kittens less than a year of age have low survival rates.

Resource competition and apparent competition in declining mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (7) ◽  
pp. 499-504
Author(s):  
Robert B. Wielgus
Keyword(s):  
High Mortality ◽  
Resource Competition ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Mule Deer ◽  
Odocoileus Hemionus ◽  
Apparent Competition ◽  
Resident Male ◽  
Deer Population ◽  
Competition Hypothesis

Resource competition and apparent competition have both been suggested as the cause of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque, 1817)) decline concurrent with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman, 1780)) increase. I tested for both hypotheses by conducting a “press” and “release” experiment in a mule deer, white-tailed deer, and cougar (Puma concolor (L., 1771)) community. If resource competition is causal, then predation should decrease, but other sources of mortality should increase following increased mortality of cougars and release of competing white-tailed deer. If apparent competition is causal, then predation should decrease and mule deer should increase following increased mortality of cougars and release of white-tailed deer. I accepted the apparent competition hypothesis because high mortality of female cougars and cougar population decline was associated with both white-tailed deer and mule deer population growth. Very high mortality of female cougars appeared to result in mule deer population recovery. However, high mortality of male cougars (with increased male immigration) preceding high female mortality appeared to result in sexually segregated prey-switching by females with cubs from abundant white-tailed deer to rare mule deer to avoid sexually selected infanticide. High mortality of resident male cougars may have precipitated the mule deer decline in the first place.

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