Development of a 95 SNP Panel To Individually Genotype Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) For Microfluidic and Other Genotyping Platforms

The mountain lion (Puma concolor) is one of the few remaining large predators in California, USA with density estimation from fecal genotypes becoming an essential component of conservation and management. In highly urbanized southern California, mountain lions are fragmented into small, inbred populations making proper marker selection critical for individual identification. We developed a panel of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that can be used for consistent, routine mountain lion monitoring by different laboratories. We used a subset of existing Illumina HiSeq data for 104 individuals from throughout California to design a single, highly heterozygous multiplex of 95 SNPs for the Fluidigm platform. This panel confidently differentiates individual mountain lions, identifies sex, and discriminates mountain lions from bobcats. The panel performed well on fecal DNA extracts and based on design, had sufficient resolution to differentiate individual genotypes in even the population with lowest genetic diversity in southern California.

The reappearance of Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae) in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Large mammals, especially felids such as Mountain Lion, Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771), are disappearing from their original habitats, due to the loss of natural areas and hunting, especially in the metropolitan regions. In the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, P. concolor had not been observed for almost a century, despite the city having forest fragments as large as 10,000 ha. Here we present records that confirm the reappearance of this species in the city of Rio de Janeiro, where it has been considered extirpated.

The Rabbit and the Mountain Lion: Anxiety and its Opposite

Anxiety is understood ethologically. That is, as a preparatory state to evade predators or other dangers in the environment. Animal models of prey avoiding predation are taken as analogous to human anxiety. But if that is the case, then the neurological and affective state of the predator should also have a human analog, since humans are predators too. This postulated neurological and affective state in humans would be the opposite of anxiety, yet it could be mistaken for anxiety and thus be misdiagnosed. This paper will suggest a name for that opposite of anxiety, then analytically examine some ways in which it manifests and interacts with contemporary society.

Online Noise as Illustrated by Pitfalls and Biogeography Associated With Common Names for Puma concolor

Noise is the non-target search results that people encounter when searching for a particular topic of interest; it is also the cloud of distracting data that can obscure or deflect conservation communication. Online noise associated with large carnivores is particularly dense because their defining characteristics make them salient. Mountain lions (Puma concolor) exemplify noise associated with multiple vernaculars for a species in the crosshairs of conservation conundrums. We compared internet search results, Google Trends reflecting topic interest, use in science publications and sentiment in print and online media for P. concolor's most frequent vernacular names, “mountain lion,” “cougar,” “puma” and “Florida panther.” Puma and panther exhibited greater noise and salience than cougar or mountain lion, but, results for mountain lion, followed by cougar, yielded the highest biological relevance. Online sentiment negatively correlated with biological relevance, with positive sentiment highest for the noisiest vernaculars, puma and panther. As conservation practitioners, we must recognize that public outreach is part of our scientific agenda and be conscious of crafting communication that reaches and resonates with our intended audiences.

Using Mountain Lion Habitat Selection in Management

© 2019 The Wildlife Society Wildlife 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.

Using Mountain Lion Habitat Selection in Management

© 2019 The Wildlife Society Wildlife 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.

Pleistocene mammals from Extinction Cave, Belize

A small mammalian fauna is recorded from Extinction Cave (also called Sibun Cave), east of Belmopan, on the Sibun River, Belize, Central America. The animals recognized are armadillo (†Dasypus bellus), American lion (†Panthera atrox), jaguar (Panthera onca), puma or mountain lion (Puma concolor), Florida spectacled bear (†Tremarctos floridanus), javelina or collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), llama (Camelidae indet., †?Palaeolama mirifica), red brocket deer (Mazama americana), bison (Bison sp.) and Mexican half-ass (†Equus conversidens); sabre-toothed cat (†Smilodon fatalis) may also be represented. “†” indicates an extinct taxon. Bear and bison are absent from the region today. The bison record is one of the more southerly known. The bear record is almost the most westerly known and a first for Central America.