Date of Award:
5-1982
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Wildland Resources
Department name when degree awarded
Wildlife Science
Committee Chair(s)
Fredrick G. Lindzey
Committee
Fredrick G. Lindzey
Committee
Floyd Coles
Committee
Keith Dixon
Committee
Fred Knowlton
Abstract
Movements of 22 cougars (Felis concolor) were monitored by radio-telemetry between January 1979 and July 1981 in southern Utah. The population, composed of resident, transient, and juvenile cougars, remained relatively constant in size for 3 years. Densities (0.4-0.5 cougars/100 km2) were considerably lower than has been reported elsewhere. Average annual home area size of resident females (685 km2) and a single resident male (826 km2) were substantially larger than other home area sizes reported. Home areas of resident females overlapped and resident male home areas may have overlapped as well. Despite the degree of overlap observed, with the exception of family groups, close spatial associations were rare. Dispersal of cubs appeared to be independent of adult resident density. Density of resident cougars appears to be regulated by a social pattern based on land tenure but limited by abundance of mule deer, their principal prey on this study area. The relative vulnerability to hunting of different cougar cohorts is discussed.
Checksum
a740c369ea8ba8547f9db815fa42abef
Recommended Citation
Hemker, Thomas P., "Population Characteristics and Movement Patterns of Cougars in Southern Utah" (1982). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 7119.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7119
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