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The Eastward Expansion of Mountain Lions in the United States

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The Eastward Expansion of Mountain Lions in the United States RECLAIMING TERRITORY The Eastward Expansion of Mountain Lions in the United States Background Methods and Discussion Historically in the United States, To determine the areas mountain lion populations are most mountain lion’s, (Puma likely expanding into an analysis was performed using serval concolor) also known as cougars, suitability factors. First, Confirmed sightings were taken into range extended across all of the account both inside and outside of known mountain lion lower 48 states. Over time, their territory. These sightings were scored 1 though 9. Additional range became limited to the factors in this analysis included habitat type, deer population western states excluding a small density, known livestock areas, known protected areas, population in Florida known as the human population density and major interstates. Each of Florida panthers. Within the state’s these factors was scored 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9. Each factor was then mountain lions are known to inhabit, they added together with appropriate weights. are protected against hunting in Florida and California. In the remaining states mountain lions can be hunted for sport The analysis confirmed suspicions that mountain lion range is excluding Texas where they are considered a pest and can be likely expanding to several midwestern states including North hunted year-round. In spite of this, mountain lion populations Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska Minnesota and Wisconsin. have been gradually increasing in several areas. As mountain With these results, further analysis could be conducted to lion populations are beginning to grow, there have been determine where human mountain lion conflict is most likely to increased number of sightings in the midwestern states occur. Additionally, this information can be used to inform bordering their current known range in the last 20 years. These residence of risks to their pets and livestock so appropriate states include North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, precautions can be taken for individuals residing in these Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana and Michigan. areas. 35.2% Mountain lions are known for being highly adaptive to many One likely explanation for the eastward expansion of Female different environment types. Typically, they prefer rugged areas with mountain lions is the dispersal of young male lions to plenty of coverage for hunting and raising young. They tend to avoid 64.8% establish their own home range. Mountain lions are areas human activity opting for areas with dense foliage. Mountain Male highly territorial and are known to defend their lion’s diets consists mainly of white-tailed deer and mule deer which territory against other males. Within the confirmed make up approximately 80% of their diet. The other 20% of their diet sightings outside of the normal cougar range, of the consists mostly of other smaller mammals and birds. Despite the fact that individuals whose genders were confirmed, more than mountain lions tend to avoid densely populated areas, attacks on 64% were males. livestock, pets and even humans, although extremely rare, happen occasionally. Precautions can be taken by pet and livestock owners to avoid attacks such as bringing animals indoors at night and limiting cover Confirmed Land Cover Deer Livestock Protected Human Distance Sightings Type Density Pastures Areas Population from such as shrubs for the lions to ambush from in pasture areas. Density Interstates Weights 45 15 13 13 6 4 4 Map Analysis Land Cover Type Livestock Pastures Distance From Interstates Habitat with high coverage is preferred by mountain Mountain lions have been known to occasionally Areas with high levels of activity are avoided by lions. Forested areas were preferred and land cover prey on livestock. Euclidean distance was used to mountain lions. Euclidean distance was used to type was reclassified accordingly with developed determine the distance from known livestock determine a distance from 1 to 6 miles away from and barren areas ranked as least suitable. pastures. interstates. Confirmed Sightings Known mountain lion sightings were determined both within and outside Liana DeNino | December 13, 2019 of the range. These sightings were confirmed with photographs, fresh GIS for Conservation Medicine MCM 591 prints, scat, carcasses, or USDA reports. The density of confirmed sightings Data Sources: Cougar Network, ESRI, ICUN, iNaturalist, NLCD, was determined using kernel density. QDMA, USDA, and PAD-US Deer Density Protected Areas Human Population Density Photo Source:Mark Jeager, 500PX A major food source for mountain lions is deer. The Sites with lower human activities such as state and Mountain lions are known to avoid areas that are Projection: NAD_1983_Albers density of deer populations from each state was national forests are more favorable to mountain lion highly populated by humans. U.S. counties were Acknowledgments: Carolyn Talmadge, Annie Nguyen, The determine using hunting records annual averages expansion. The distance from parks was determine reclassified according to their population density. from each state and then ranked accordingly. using Euclidean distance and reclassified. Cougar Network, and MCM ‘20 .
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