PROCEEDINGS of the 12TH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP a Synthesis of Management and Research Findings

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PROCEEDINGS of the 12TH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP a Synthesis of Management and Research Findings PROCEEDINGS OF THE 12TH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP A Synthesis of Management and Research Findings Sanctioned by: Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) WAFWA Agency Host: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Editors: Craig R. McLaughlin and Mark Vieira 1 | Page Workshop Organizing Committee: Craig R. McLaughlin, Co-Chair [email protected] Kenneth Logan, Co-Chair [email protected] Mat Alldredge [email protected] Chuck Anderson [email protected] Jerry Apker (retired June 30, 2017) [email protected] Kristin Cannon [email protected] Brian Dreher [email protected] Stephanie Durno [email protected] Brad Petch [email protected] Marty Stratman [email protected] Mark Vieira [email protected] 2 | Page Workshop Sponsors: Bank of Colorado Lotek Wireless Mountain Lion Foundation Odell Brewing Oskar Blues Brewery Snowy Peaks Winery Vectronic Aerospace Wild Felid Research and Management Association (WFA) Colorado 3 | Page Suggested Citation: Complete Volume: McLaughlin, C. R. and M. Vieira, editors. 2017. Proceedings of the 12th Mountain Lion Workshop, May 15-18, 2017. Estes Park, Colorado, USA. Individual article/abstract: Author’s name(s). 2017. Title of article or abstract. Pages 00-00 in McLaughlin, C. R. and M. Vieira, editors. Proceedings of the 12th Mountain Lion Workshop. May 15- 18, 2017. Estes Park, Colorado, USA. The complete proceedings are available at the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website: http://cpw.state.co.us/ © 2017 Colorado Parks & Wildlife 6060 Broadway Denver, CO 80002 303-291-7227 4 | Page Table of Contents COVER PAGE ...................................................................................... 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................... 5 PREFACE .......................................................................................... 10 AGENDA ........................................................................................... 12 KEYNOTE ADDRESS .............................................................................. 17 SESSION 1: MOUNTAIN LION/FELID POPULATION MONITORING ......................... 25 Evaluating noninvasive survey methods for cougars in Northwest Wyoming ............................... 25 Screaming in the woods: Noninvasive techniques for estimating cougar densities ....................... 27 A Long-Term Evaluation of biopsy darts and DNA to estimate cougar density: An agency – citizen science collaboration ................................................................................................ 28 A Multi-Method Approach to estimating jaguar & puma density: Integration of home range data into a noninvasive genetic sampling framework ........................................................................ 29 Integrating population monitoring & methods to enable an adaptive harvest management strategy for mountain lion in Montana ........................................................................................... 30 Estimating mountain lion abundance in Arizona 2004-2005 ................................................... 31 Estimating puma densities from camera trap data using generalized spatial partial identity models 32 Mule deer abundance, cougar home range size, and predator-prey density across a climatic gradient in the Intermountain West ............................................................................................. 33 Standardization of cougar population metrics ................................................................... 35 SESSION 2: JURISDICTIONAL MOUNTAIN LION MANAGEMENT SURVEY ................. 37 Slides of Survey Results by Jerry Apker ........................................................................... 37 Arizona Mountain Lion Status Report .............................................................................. 71 Colorado Mountain Lion Status Report ............................................................................ 74 5 | Page Florida Mountain Lion Status Report .............................................................................. 85 Illinois Mountain Lion Status Report ............................................................................... 93 Missouri Mountain Lion Status Report ............................................................................. 96 Montana Mountain Lion Status Report ............................................................................ 99 Nebraska Mountain Lion Status Report ........................................................................... 104 Nevada Mountain Lion Status Report ............................................................................. 106 New Mexico Mountain Lion Status Report ....................................................................... 117 Oregon Mountain Lion Status Report ............................................................................. 127 Saskatchewan Mountain Lion Status Report ..................................................................... 138 South Dakota Mountain Lion Status Report ...................................................................... 140 Utah Mountain Lion Status Report ................................................................................ 152 Washington Mountain Lion Status Report ........................................................................ 160 Wyoming Mountain Lion Status Report ........................................................................... 162 SESSION 3: MOUNTAIN LION GENETICS & GENOMICS.................................... 174 Interactions between demography, genetics, and landscape connectivity increase extinction probability for a small mountain lion population in a major metropolitan area........................................ 174 Genomic assessment of mountain lions within an urbanized landscape ................................... 176 Statewide genetic analyses identify mountain lion populations and barriers to gene flow in California and Nevada ........................................................................................................... 178 Quality control measures reveal substantial effects of genotyping errors on DNA-based mark-recapture results .................................................................................................................. 180 Landscape genomics of mountain lions on the rural Western Slope and Urban Front Range of Colorado .......................................................................................................................... 182 Panel Discussion: Stakeholder Perspectives..................................................................... 184 SESSION 4: POSTERS, VENDORS, SOCIAL .................................................. 185 Attitudes and Perceptions of mountain lions across 5 Bay Area Communities ............................ 185 6 | Page Facial recognition in cougars: Initial tests of novel field and analysis methods .......................... 186 Estimating cougar population density and abundance using noninvasive genetic sampling and spatial capture recapture models .......................................................................................... 187 Carrion on the landscape: Mountain lions support biodiversity through predation ...................... 189 Hunger mediates cougar’s risk avoidance response in wildland-urban interface ........................ 190 How should we measure human tolerance of mountain lions? ............................................... 191 A retrospective look at mountain lion populations in California 1906-2016 ............................... 192 Development of baseline occupancy rates for long-term monitoring of mountain lions in the Mojave Desert of California .................................................................................................. 193 How mountain lions support migratory eagles? ................................................................. 194 Mountain lion resource selection in the North Dakota Badlands and statewide habitat suitability ... 195 Documentation of mountain lion occurrence and reproduction in the Sacramento Valley of California .......................................................................................................................... 196 Texas Native Cats: Raising awareness about mountain lions through education and outreach in Texas .......................................................................................................................... 197 Too much commotion here for a secretive big cat? Puma don’t care ...................................... 198 Demographics of mule deer puma prey in South-Central New Mexico ..................................... 199 Human and large carnivore encounters in Big Bend National Park ......................................... 200 The influence of anthropogenic water on puma habitat use and prey selection in arid ecosystems . 201 Spatial density estimations of puma concolor by remote cameras and novel hair sampling method 202 Where do mountain lions kill deer along the urban-wildland interface? .................................. 203 State of the mountain lion: a Call to end trophy hunting of America’s lion .............................. 204 Estimating mountain lion populations for improved management .......................................... 205 Cascading Fear: Plant architecture reflects human-carnivore-herbivore relationships ................. 206 Bridging the
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