CHARACTERISTICS OF A HUNTED POPULATION OF COUGARS IN SOUTHWESTERN ALBERTA

We studied characteristics of a hunted cougar (Felis concolor) population in southwestern Alberta between 1981 and 1989 to support development of a species management plan. Although most cougars did not maintain separate summer and winter home ranges, the size of these ranges varied. Mean summer and winter home ranges for female residents were 87 +/- 8.5 (SE) and 97 +/- 8.2 km2, respectively. Male home ranges were larger (P < 0.0001); summer and winter home ranges averaged 314 +/- 62.9 and 204 +/- 34.0 km2, respectively. Annual home ranges for females and males were 140 +/- 13.7 and 334 +/- 37.1 km2, respectively. Females with kittens used smaller (P = 0.001) home ranges than did lone females or females with juveniles (P = 0.0003); whereas home-range sizes of lone females and those with juveniles did not differ (P = 0.37). Population estimates increased from 21-26 in 1984 to 35-37 in 1988, primarily resulting from an increase in adult females and their dependent young. Densities varied from 2.7-3.3 cougars/100 km2 to 4.5-4.7 cougars/100 km2. Mean size of 27 litters was 2.2 +/- 0.1 kittens. Litters were born throughout the year but with a pronounced late summer peak. Six females gave birth to their first litters at a mean age of 30.0 +/- 1.8 months, and the average interval between successive litters (n = 12) for all females was 19.7 +/- 1.9 months. Mean age of independence was 15.2 +/- 0.5 months. Most cougars dispersed after independence, but 7 females established home ranges contiguous with their mothers' ranges. Annual mortality varied between 3 and 14% of the total population, with legal hunting being the most important cause. Non-dispersal of young females and fairly rapid population growth suggest that this cougar population rebounded quickly from depressed levels with a reduction in hunting pressure.