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Ruth, T.K.; Logan, K.A.; Sweanor, L.L.; Hornocker, M.G.; Temple, L.J.
Evaluating cougar translocation in New Mexico
1998  Journal of Wildlife Management: 1264-1275

We translocated wild cougars (Puma concolor) with known social and behavioral histories to evaluate the feasibility of translocation as a management tool to reestablish populations, relieve the threat of inbreeding in isolated populations, and manage problem individuals. Eight female and 5 male cougars 16-108 months old were translocated a mean distance of 477 km from the San Andres Mountains (SAM) study area in southcentral New Mexico to 9 release sites in northeastern New Mexico (NENM) from December 1990 through June 1991 and then radiomonitored through January 1993. Another male cougar was translocated 338 km from the SAM to northwestern New Mexico in April 1989 and monitored until May 1990. Initial movement directions away from release sites were uniformly distributed about a 360ø circle. Eight (4 F, 4 M) of 14 cougars had movement end points >80 km from their release sites, and end point directions were generally south, suggesting they homed toward the source population; 2 male cougars returned to their original home ranges. Dispersing cougars from a SAM reference population showed no southerly tendencies. Distances moved from release sites to end points ranged from 3 to 494 km; 4 cougars (3 F, 1 M) established home ranges =84 km from release sites. Mean pretranslocation home ranges were generally smaller than mean posttranslocation use areas. Nine of 14 translocated cougars died during the study. Annual survival rates of translocated cougars did not differ by sex and were lower in 1992 than survival rates of cougars from the reference area. We concluded that translocation was most successful with cougars 12-27 months old.

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