Study confirms re-population of big cat
A study published in The Journal of Wildlife Management explains how American mountain lions, or cougars, are re-emerging in areas of the Unites States, after the population declined dramatically over the last century due to hunting and a lack of prey. This increase raises new conservation questions, including how humans will live alongside the returning predators.
The study carried out by Michelle La Rue analysed cougar sightings which have been reported since the 1990’s to characterise confirmed sightings over time, assess habitat suitability and confirm where cougar populations are being re-established.
The cougars appear to be exploring new territory. One male originating from the Black Hills in South Dakota was found to have travelled 2,900km through Minnesota, Wisconsin and New York, before ending up in Connecticut.
Michelle LaRue from the University of Minnesota explains “While the distance the Connecticut cougar travelled was rare, we found that cougars are roaming long distances and are moving back into portions of their historical range across the Midwest.”
She concluded: “This evidence helps to confirm that cougars are re-colonising their historical range and reveals that sightings have increased over the past two decades.”
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