U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Eastern cougar Questions and answers about the five-year review March 2011
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has completed a review of all available information about the eastern cougar, which has been on the endangered species list since 1973. The review concludes that the eastern cougar is extinct. Although cougars are seen occasionally in the East, no evidence exists that they are the subspecies known as eastern cougars.
1. What was the historical range of the eastern cougar? The eastern cougar range extended Robert Savannah from Maine south to Georgia, west into eastern Missouri and eastern Illinois, and north to Michigan and Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick, Canada. 2. Why did eastern cougar populations Service biologists at that time believed become extinct? change in classification must undergo it was possible that the eastern cougar European immigrants killed cougars a formal rulemaking process, including still survived in a few remote areas of to protect themselves and their the opportunity for public comment. its historical range. livestock. Many states offered a bounty 4. Can the public comment on the 7. What would the Service consider to encourage the killing of cougars. five-year status review for the eastern proof of the existence of an eastern The white-tailed deer, the primary cougar? cougar population? prey of the cougar, was nearly extinct There is no formal public comment Even small populations of cougars, in eastern North America by the late period on the 5-year status review; but, such as those in Florida and North 1800s. The last records of eastern the Service will accept and consider and South Dakota, leave substantial cougars are believed to be in Maine information electronic mailed to physical evidence (tracks, photographs, (1938) and New Brunswick (1932). [email protected]. Decisions scat, hair, genetic samples, road 3. Why did the U.S. Fish and Wildlife are made on the best available scientific mortalities, cougars shot or caught in Service initiate a review of the eastern and commercial information. traps). cougar, and what is its purpose? 5. When was the status of the eastern Service biologists assembled 108 The Endangered Species Act (ESA) cougar last reviewed? records dating from 1900 to 2010 with requires the Service to conduct a The Service has not prepared a formal a high level of confirmation that the review of each protected species every status review of the eastern cougar described animals were cougars. After 5 years to ensure the accuracy of its since its recovery plan was published in careful examination, the biologists classification. The review is based on 1982. The Service prioritized its limited concluded all reported cougars were the best scientific and commercial data resources to protect at-risk species animals that escaped or were released available at the time of the review. At with known populations. from captivity or that dispersed from the conclusion of a review, the Service the western United States. can affirm that the species is correctly 6. Why did the Service write a classified, recommend reclassification recovery plan for the eastern cougar There is no evidence that a breeding of a species (endangered to threatened; in 1982 when biologists believed the population of cougars occurs in the threatened to endangered), or subspecies was extinct? eastern United States or eastern recommend removal of the species Although no breeding population of Canada other than those in Florida from the endangered species list. Any eastern cougar was known in 1982, (Florida panther). 8. What would the Service consider a 11. Will the Service consider hunters and/or unafraid of humans. viable population of eastern cougars? reintroducing other cougar subspecies They may behave differently from wild The Service’s recovery plan for the to the eastern states? cougars. We recommend caution and eastern cougar calls for at least three No. The Service does not have the notifying state and local wildlife officials self-sustaining populations in the authority under the ESA to replace the when a cougar is observed. United States, each with a minimum of extinct eastern cougar subspecies by 50 breeding adults. introducing another cougar subspecies. 17. What is the next step now that the five-year review is completed? 9. Why are cougars occurring with 12. Can private individuals or Service biologists will prepare a increasing frequency in the Midwest? organizations reintroduce cougars to the proposal to remove the eastern cougar Cougar populations in most western eastern states? from the endangered species list. states have been increasing in recent If the eastern cougar is removed from The proposal will be published in the decades. These are a different the federal endangered species list, the Federal Register, and the public will be subspecies than the extinct eastern introduction of cougars to the eastern invited to provide substantive scientific cougar. Cougars have reoccupied their states would fall under the jurisdiction information about eastern cougars. historic breeding range in North and of the states. Following review of the comments, the South Dakota and possibly elsewhere. Service will make a final determination, While individual animals dispersing 13. What are the differences among and that determination will be from western populations have been the puma, panther, mountain lion, published in the Federal Register. The documented in a number of Midwest catamount, cougar and painter? timing of these actions will depend on states, some of these animals could be These are different names for funding and staffing availability. released or escaped pets. Although cougars. The different names are young males may sometimes disperse interchangeable and do not describe 18. If the eastern cougar is removed from hundreds of miles, female cougars separate subspecies. the endangered species list, will it be normally do not move far from where legal to hunt or kill cougars found in the they are born. Thus, cougars are slow 14. Has genetic analysis shown historical range of the eastern cougar? to colonize new areas and establish significant differences among the State laws govern hunting and killing breeding populations. approximately 15 subspecies of cougar animals not protected by federal law. in North America? Contact your state wildlife agency to The Cougar Network