IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Kamler, J.F.; Lee, R.M.; deVos, J.C.; Ballard, Q.B.; Withlaw, H.A. | |
| Survival and cougar predation of translocated bighorn sheep in Arizona | |
| 2002 Journal of Wildlife Management (66): 1267-1272 | |
We estimated survival and cause-specific mortality of 395 translocated bighorn sheep (_Ovis canadensis_) in Arizona, USA, from May 1979 to November 1997. To investigate regional and temporal trends, we compared survival among disjunct populations in 4 regions in Arizona (Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, Central) during 3 time periods: 1979-1985, 1986-1991, and 1992-1997. Survival did not differ among periods in the Northwest (P= 0.50) and Southeast (P= 0.78) regions, and ranged from 0.80 to 0.88 and 0.76 to 0.82, respectively. In contrast, survival decreased in the Southwest (P < 0.01) and Central (P < 0.01) regions, and ranged from 0.44 to 0.79 and 0.42 to 0.83, respectively. Cougar (_Puma concolor_) predation was the most important source of mortality (66%). Our results suggest that recent increases in cougar predation in most areas of Arizona may be responsible for declining bighorn sheep numbers. Recent population declines in mule deer (_Odocoileus hemionus_), the primary prey of cougars, may be responsible for recent increases of cougar predations on bighorn sheep in Arizona and other areas of western North America. |
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