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Cougar Predation And Ecological Energetics In Southern Utah, Bruce Bennet Ackerman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Diet of cougars (Felis concolor) was studied from December 1978 to August 1981, on a 4500 km2 study area near Escalante, Utah. Prey eaten was determined from analysis of 112 animals consumed as prey, and from 239 cougar scats. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were the major prey item, comprising 81% of biomass consumed. Lagomorphs, large rodents, and smaller predators were also important components. Cattle comprised <1% of the diet, although commonly grazed on the cougar's summer range. Adult male and juvenile (<1yr) mule deer were killed more often than expected, in fall (P<0.10) and in winter (P<0.005). Cougars were a major cause of mortality of adult deer (41% of all adult female deaths, 35% of male), but only 6% of mortality of juveniles. Selection of prey seemed to be a function of prey vulnerability, rather than one of active choice by the predator.

Motion-sensitive radio-transmitters were placed on 15 cougars, from 3 months to 7-9 years of age. Three parameters of the radio signal were used to determine activity levels during 6843 …