THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE COUGAR FUND • FALL 2011 ISSUE Myth and the Ghost Cat written by: Franz Camenzind, Ph.D. Myth: “…an unproved or false rarely vocal and usually solitary, this phantom-like predator 1 collective belief that is used to justify earned a reputation as America’s most mysterious predator. Even today, this very nature of the cougar seems to be a social institution…” enough to keep the myth alive. It’s safe to say that myths have been part of Titles such as Ghost of North America, human history since our ancestors began Spirit of the Rockies and Shadow Cat sitting around open fires making up seem to perpetuate the centuries-old stories to explain the dangers and aura of mystery surrounding the unknowns in the wild world cougar. But in fact, these recent beyond the fire’s light. But why, publications are part of a growing in this age of science, do myths effort to peel away the myth and continue to influence public expose the science behind the opinion and agency decisions? North American cougar. Why our reluctance to trade myths for science? The first extensive field study of cougars was conducted in the Central Nowhere is the frustration greater than Idaho Primitive Area by a team of pho n in the debates regarding our understanding to b else y: Thomas D. Mang researchers lead by Dr. Maurice Hornocker. and management of large, native predators such as His pioneering work conducted four decades ago cougars, grizzly bears and wolves. described in detail how a stable cougar population occupied its environment, impacted native ungulates and interacted within Early humans likely viewed top predators both as competitors its species. for food and as direct threats to their lives. In spite of, or perhaps because of, this tenuous relationship, an argument can be made One of the study’s conclusions was that cougar numbers were that early humans may have been better at accepting large self-limited by intraspecific relationships, manifested through predators as part of their world than we are today. territoriality. In simple terms, these cougars controlled their numbers and did not over-run their environment. Of today’s top carnivores, none remains shrouded in myth more than the cougar. Primarily nocturnal, a master at stealth, The study also determined that bighorn sheep numbers remained constant during the four-year period while Myth and the Ghost Cat (continued) populations of deer and elk actually increased. The researcher Important research is currently being conducted by staff of concluded as well that six key winter ranges were over-browsed the Large Carnivore Conservation Lab at Washington State and that much of the range was considered overpopulated by University. One recent study found that the hunting of adult deer and elk. This was hard evidence that an uncontrolled male cougars resulted in more young males immigrating into the cougar population was by itself not capable of keeping elk and area. This, in turn, likely leads to increased competition for space deer numbers in check. with some young cougars eventually living closer to humans. Although the original hunting quotas were set to reduce the Fifty percent of the elk and deer killed by cougars were number of depredation complaints, the outcome was a four to considered to be in poor condition. The study determined eight fold increase in complaints. Aggressive hunting of adult that elk and deer populations were limited by the winter food males had a destabilizing effect upon the cougar population supply and that predation by cougars was inconsequential in with significant unfavorable and unintended consequences. determining elk and deer numbers. The study also concluded that predation by cougars was a powerful force acting to Researchers also examined prey switching by adult female dampen and protract severe prey oscillations and that such cougars as young males immigrated into territories opened predation was considered of great significance in maintenance due to the removal of adult males. In one study it appeared of ecologic stability in a wilderness environment—a strong that adult females with vulnerable kittens moved from areas research-supported statement that large predators play a of abundant white-tail deer (while the young males remained positive role in ecosystem function. in the abundant white-tail areas) to areas with declining mule deer numbers. The resulting increase in mule deer predation What may be the longest running cougar study occurred in by the newly immigrated females accelerated the drop in deer Yellowstone National Park between 1986 and 2006. Half of the numbers and caused the state game management agency study occurred before the reintroduction of wolves to the park, to re-think its cougar hunting programs. These results while in the second half of the study wolves were well established. demonstrated that fewer cougars do not automatically Both top predators shared the habitat and vied for the same prey mean higher deer numbers. species. (The park’s third top predator, the grizzly bear, was present in substantial numbers throughout the study.) Between We are indeed living in an age of intense resource 1998 and 2005, 74 percent of the 473 known or probable management, but until we better understand the complex cougar kills were elk. Wolves scavenged on 22 percent of cougar role top predators play in ecosystem functions, we should kills and displaced cougars eight of the 10 times that wolves be overly cautious in implementing management plans were known to have visited kills when cougars were present. for these keystone species. In the mean time, science is showing us that leaving large carnivores to their own In addition to the elk, cougars were known to have killed 64 devices may just be the best management plan. mule deer, 12 bighorn sheep, 10 pronghorn, 10 coyotes and numerous smaller mammals and birds. A wise tinkerer, as the saying goes, saves all the pieces. We should add that no responsible From 1999 to 2003, seven cougars were determined to have tinkerer would substitute myth for science. been killed by wolves (six kittens and one adult), while in a If we must manage, if we must tinker, let’s four-year period cougars killed one wolf and were suspected do so with a toolbox overflowing in the death of another. As one of three top predators, cougars with science and not with were limited by both inter- and intraspecific interactions, a caldron of mythology. showing that their fate was determined by a vast array of interconnected environmental factors. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Calls on Indiscriminate Targeting of Cougars During Upcoming Deer Season written by: Gary Koehler, Ph.D. The Washington Depart- during the past decade ment of Fish and Wildlife cougar numbers have has notified deer hunters been stable with densities to take up arms against limited by the cougar’s in- cougars, reminding hunters herent social organization. that “cougars are also This means that cougars fair game anywhere in naturally limit how many the state.” individual cats live in, share or overlap a specific habitat: This plea is in response to approximately 1.73 adult 3 this summer’s decision by cougars per 100 square the State Legislature to kilometers in Washington. end a “special pilot hound This density holds true for hunt (HB1124)” initi- photo by: Louise Shirley five areas of the state where ated in 2004 (SSB 6118, research was conducted and in a variety of habitat conditions. HB1756, HB2438), which permitted hunters to use hounds to decrease cougar numbers in five counties in northern Wash- Cougars intrinsically limit their densities on the landscape, ington. This plea is similar to actions taken by the Department manifested by territoriality and emigration of dispersal-aged following the 1996 Voter Initiative (I655) that banned the use juveniles from the area in which they were born. The social of hounds for hunting cougars, black bears and bobcats. In structure of these solitary carnivores was first made clear 50 response to the 1996 Initiative, the Washington Department of years ago, a behavior as much a part of the cougar’s evolution Fish and Wildlife took the following actions: as their secretive nature, tawny color and long tail. • lowered cougar license fees to $5 This call to arms is not a response to increased cougar com- • lengthened the season from an average of six weeks plaints registered by the Department—ironically, cougar com- to seven months or more plaint numbers are down statewide from a decade ago. So what • increased the bag limit from one to two cougars is driving the Department’s plea? Likely this is in response to per season a misguided fear that cougar numbers will escalate now that These actions resulted in more than double the amount of hound hunting has been banned by voter initiative killed cougars in the state, from 100 to 300 cats in the first year via the Legislature, along with the ideology that hound alone. This plea for deer hunters to ‘pot’ a cat is in addition to hunting is a “management tool” perceived to be necessary to the quota system allocating harvest tags throughout the state control this elusive animal. In light of this plea to have deer during the permit-only cougar season beginning in January hunters also target cougars, the Washington Department of and those cougars killed during the general season ‘control’ Fish and Wildlife appears to ignore the very research that they activities executed by the state. helped to sponsor, which showed that cougars establish their Research, sponsored in part by the same department that is populations at well-regulated, low densities- an elemental now calling on the increased pressure on cougars, shows that principle of ecology that top carnivores occur at low densities.