Journal article
Effects of hunting on cougar spatial organization
Ecology and evolution, Vol.4(11), pp.2178-2185
06/2014
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/101998
PMCID: PMC4201432
PMID: 25360259
Abstract
The effects of increased mortality on the spatial dynamics of solitary carnivores are not well understood. We examined the spatial ecology of two cougar populations that differed in hunting intensity to test whether increased mortality affected home range size and overlap. The stability hypothesis predicts that home range size and overlap will be similar for both sexes among the two areas. The instability hypothesis predicts that home range size and overlap will be greater in the heavily hunted population, although may differ for males versus females due to behavior strategies. We marked 22 adult resident cougars in the lightly hunted population and 20 in the heavily hunted population with GPS collars from 2002 to 2008. Cougar densities and predation rates were similar among areas, suggesting no difference in per capita resources. We compared home range size, two-dimensional home range overlap, and three-dimensional utilization distribution overlap index (UDOI) among annual home ranges for male and female cougars. Male cougars in the heavily hunted area had larger sized home ranges and greater two-dimensional and three-dimensional UDOI overlap than those in the lightly hunted area. Females showed no difference in size and overlap of home range areas between study populations - further suggesting that differences in prey quantity and distribution between study areas did not explain differences in male spatial organization. We reject the spatial stability hypothesis and provide evidence to support the spatial instability hypothesis. Increased hunting and ensuing increased male home range size and overlap may result in negative demographic effects for cougars and potential unintended consequences for managers.
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Details
- Title
- Effects of hunting on cougar spatial organization
- Creators
- Benjamin T Maletzke - Large Carnivore Conservation Lab, School of the Environment, Washington State University Pullman, Washington, 99164Robert Wielgus - Large Carnivore Conservation Lab, School of the Environment, Washington State University Pullman, Washington, 99164Gary M Koehler - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington, 98501Mark Swanson - Large Carnivore Conservation Lab, School of the Environment, Washington State University Pullman, Washington, 99164Hilary Cooley - Large Carnivore Conservation Lab, School of the Environment, Washington State University Pullman, Washington, 99164J Richard Alldredge - Department of Statistics, Washington State University Pullman, Washington, 99164
- Publication Details
- Ecology and evolution, Vol.4(11), pp.2178-2185
- Academic Unit
- Environment, School of the (CAHNRS)
- Publisher
- England
- Identifiers
- 99900546538501842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article