IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library
   

 

View printer friendly
Thompson, D.J.; Fecske, D.M.; Jenks, J.A.; Jarding, A.R.
Food habits of recolonizing cougars in the Dakotas: prey obtained from prairie and agricultural habitats
2009  American Midland Naturalist (161): 69-75

Food habits of cougars (_Puma concolor_) in North America have been documented for western populations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Most studies assessed diets of cougars occupying typical habitats, and within established populations. We evaluated food habits of cougars in prairie and agricultural landscapes in the Dakotas (regions that had been devoid of the species for roughly a century) located well outside of known resident populations. We obtained stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) tracts from 14 cougars (10 male; 4 female) from 2003-2007, and evaluated contents via frequency of occurrence (%) of various prey items. Deer (_Odocoileus_ spp.) had the highest frequency of occurrence (50.0%). Other native mammalian prey included jackrabbit (_Lepus townsendii, L. californicus_), porcupine (_Erethizon dorsatum_), beaver (_Castor canadensis_), badger (_Taxidea taxus_), mink (_Mustela vison_) and rodent species (e.g., vole). No domestic livestock species were documented as part of the cougar diet in the Dakotas, although remains of domestic housecat (_Felis silvestris_) were found in GI tracts of two animals. Based on our results, cougars occupying non-typical, newly recolonized habitats were successfully adapting predation techniques for capture of natural and newly confronted prey species. The wide range of prey encountered suggested that prey was being obtained opportunistically in prairie and agricultural landscapes of the Dakotas.

PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here

 

(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union)