Potential cougar habitats and dispersal corridors in Eastern North America

Winkel, Brianna M.; Nielsen, Clayton K.; Hillard, Elizabeth M.; Sutherland, Ronald W.; LaRue, Michelle A.

doi:10.1007/s10980-022-01538-1

Cited by 3 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…In the northeastern U.S. specifically, cougars were functionally extinct by the early 1900s. Recent research assessing potential habitat for cougars suggests numerous areas exist to restore the species throughout portions of their historic eastern range (Winkel et al, 2022;Yovovich et al, 2023). But are the humans inhabiting this region today supportive of cougar restoration?…”

Section: Executive Summary Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes Toward Cougar Restoration in Seven Eastern States

Carlson,

Vucetich,

Galiardi

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Cougars (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lions, pumas, catamounts, and Florida panthers, once ranged widely throughout the United States (McCollough, 2011). Following intensive human persecution, anthropogenic-driven habitat loss, and unrestricted hunting of the prey species upon which cougars depend, populations were extirpated from much of the country (Cardoza & Langolis, 2002). In the northeastern U.S. specifically, cougars were functionally extinct by the early 1900s. Recent research assessing potential habitat for cougars suggests numerous areas exist to restore the species throughout portions of their historic eastern range (Winkel et al., 2022; Yovovich et al., 2023). But are the humans inhabiting this region today supportive of cougar restoration? The primary objective of this study was to provide a preliminary assessment of attitudes toward cougar restoration for seven eastern U.S. states with potential cougar habitat (ME, MA, NH, NY, PA, VT, and WV). Results from an online survey of residents within these states (n=2756) suggest that support for cougar restoration is much higher than opposition to cougar restoration. Ratios of strong support to strong opposition range from approximately 4:1 to 13:1. Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire have the highest ratio of strong support to strong opposition (13:1, 12:1, and 12:1 respectively) while Pennsylvania and West Virginia have the lowest ratio of strong support to strong opposition (4:1 each). At the individual-level, support for cougar restoration was higher among men, respondents identifying strongly or very strongly as a hunter or a conservationist, those with mutualist wildlife value orientations, urban residents, and respondents identifying as politically liberal. Given the current structure of wildlife management in the U.S., efforts to restore cougars throughout significant portions of their historic range will depend in large part on actions taken by state wildlife management agencies. Finding support for cougar restoration among many of the constituents for whom state wildlife agencies are expected to operate on behalf of, including both hunters and conservationists, this study offers valuable insights regarding the social feasibility of restoring cougars to the eastern U.S.

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Section: Executive Summary Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes Toward Cougar Restoration in Seven Eastern States

Carlson,

Vucetich,

Galiardi

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…However, there have been increasing reports of cougar sightings, roadkill incidents, and livestock depredation events in Alberta's northern communities including Athabasca, Grand Prairie, and Fort McMurray (Anderson Jr. et al, 2009;Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b), as well as reports in the Yukon and Northwest Territories (Gau et al, 2001;Jung & Merchant, 2005). If cougars follow the influx of deer into a novel, industrialized landscapes in the boreal forest plains, increased cougar Applied ecology, Community ecology, Landscape ecology, Trophic interactions occurrence at this northeast range edge could have implications as predator-prey dynamics shift (Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b;Mallory et al, 2012;Winkel et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior to the late 1800s, cougars spanned from southeast Alaska in North America to southern Chile in South America (Jung & Merchant, 2005 ; Matte et al., 2013 ; Smereka et al., 2020 ). However, cougars have since been eradicated from much of their former range primarily due to declining ungulate prey and unregulated harvest (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Dickson & Beier, 2002 ; Gantchoff et al., 2021 ; Mallory et al., 2012 ; Morrison et al., 2015 ; Winkel et al., 2023 ). In recent decades, cougars have begun expanding east of their western range in North America (Gantchoff et al., 2021 ; LaRue et al., 2012 ; Mallory et al., 2012 ; Olson et al., 2021 ; Stoner et al., 2021 ) and have now been observed moving northward in the boreal forest (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b ; Morrison et al., 2015 ; Winkel et al., 2023 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, cougars have since been eradicated from much of their former range primarily due to declining ungulate prey and unregulated harvest (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Dickson & Beier, 2002 ; Gantchoff et al., 2021 ; Mallory et al., 2012 ; Morrison et al., 2015 ; Winkel et al., 2023 ). In recent decades, cougars have begun expanding east of their western range in North America (Gantchoff et al., 2021 ; LaRue et al., 2012 ; Mallory et al., 2012 ; Olson et al., 2021 ; Stoner et al., 2021 ) and have now been observed moving northward in the boreal forest (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b ; Morrison et al., 2015 ; Winkel et al., 2023 ). Similar to other large carnivores, improved conservation management has played a major role in cougar recovery (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Gantchoff et al., 2022 ; Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b ; LaRue & Nielsen, 2016 ); however, there are likely other ecological factors aiding re‐establishment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cougar distributions are partially structured by prey availability and accessibility (Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b ; Maletzke et al., 2017 ; Monroy‐Vilchis et al., 2009 ). Cougar recovery has been partly facilitated by growing ungulate populations, including white‐tailed deer ( Odocoileus virgianius ), which have expanded their range extensively throughout North America in the last fifty years (Cooley et al., 2008 ; Darlington et al., 2022 ; Maletzke et al., 2017 ; Mallory et al., 2012 ; Winkel et al., 2023 ). The footprint of anthropogenic development from resource extraction, including features such as petroleum exploration seismic lines, provides early seral vegetation subsidies for ungulates (Fisher & Burton, 2018 ; Fuller et al., 2022 ; McKay & Finnegan, 2022 ; Rea, 2003 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Native prey, not landscape change or novel prey, drive cougar (Puma concolor) distribution at a boreal forest range edge

Gaston,

Barnas,

Smith

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Many large carnivores, despite widespread habitat alteration, are rebounding in parts of their former ranges after decades of persecution and exploitation. Cougars (Puma concolor) are apex predator with their remaining northern core range constricted to mountain landscapes and areas of western North America; however, cougar populations have recently started rebounding in several locations across North America, including northward in boreal forest landscapes. A camera‐trap survey of multiple landscapes across Alberta, Canada, delineated a range edge; within this region, we deployed an array of 47 camera traps in a random stratified design across a landscape spanning a gradient of anthropogenic development relative to the predicted expansion front. We completed multiple hypotheses in an information‐theoretic framework to determine if cougar occurrence is best explained by natural land cover features, anthropogenic development features, or competitor and prey activity. We predicted that anthropogenic development features from resource extraction and invading white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianius) explain cougar distribution at this boreal range edge. Counter to our predictions, the relative activity of native prey, predominantly snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), was the best predictor of cougar occurrence at this range edge. Small‐bodied prey items are particularly important for female and sub‐adult cougars and may support breeding individuals in the northeast boreal forest. Also, counter to our predictions, there was not a strong relationship detected between cougar occurrence and gray wolf (Canis lupus) activity at this range edge. However, further investigation is recommended as the possibility of cougar expansion into areas of the multi‐prey boreal system, where wolves have recently been controlled, could have negative consequences for conservation goals in this region (e.g. the recovery of woodland caribou [Rangifer tarandus caribou]). Our study highlights the need to monitor contemporary distributions to inform conservation management objectives as large carnivores recover across North America.

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Machine learning allows for large-scale habitat prediction of a wide-ranging carnivore across diverse ecoregions

O’Malley,

Elbroch,

Zeller

et al. 2024

Landsc Ecol

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Context Resource selection functions are powerful tools for predicting habitat selection of animals. Recently, machine-learning methods such as random forest have gained popularity for predicting habitat selection due to their flexibility and strong predictive performance. Objectives We tested two methods for predicting continental-scale, second-order habitat selection of a wide-ranging large carnivore, the mountain lion (Puma concolor), to support continent-wide conservation management, including estimating abundance, and to predict habitat suitability for recolonizing or reintroduced animals. Methods We compared a generalized linear model (GLM) and a random forest model using GPS location data from 476 individuals across 20 study sites in the western USA and Canada and remotely-sensed landscape data. We internally validated models and examined their ability to correctly classify used and available points by calculating area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUC). We performed leave-one-out (LOO) out-of-sample tests of predictive strength on both models. Results Both models suggested that mountain lions select for steeper slopes, areas closer to water, and with higher normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and against variables associated with human impact. The random forest model (AUC = 0.94) demonstrated that mountain lion habitat can be accurately predicted at continental scales, outperforming the traditional GLM model (AUC = 0.68). Our LOO validation provided similar results (x̄ = 0.93 for the random forest and x̄ = 0.65 for the GLM). Conclusions We found that the added flexibility of the random forest model provided deeper insights into how individual covariates impacted habitat selection across diverse ecosystems. Our LOO analyses suggested that our model can predict mountain lion habitat selection in unoccupied areas or where local data are unavailable. Our model thus provides a tool to support discussions and analyses relevant to continent-wide mountain lion conservation and management including estimating metapopulation abundance.

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Potential cougar habitats and dispersal corridors in Eastern North America

Cited by 3 publications

References 88 publications

Attitudes Toward Cougar Restoration in Seven Eastern States

Attitudes Toward Cougar Restoration in Seven Eastern States

Native prey, not landscape change or novel prey, drive cougar (Puma concolor) distribution at a boreal forest range edge

Machine learning allows for large-scale habitat prediction of a wide-ranging carnivore across diverse ecoregions

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