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- In Texas, mountain lions are classified as non-game animals with no restrictions on harvest (Russ 1996).
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2981/10-024
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Mountain Lions are relatively uncommon, secretive animals. They are carnivores that prey on a variety of animals; some favorites include deer and wild hogs. Other prey animals included in the Mountain Lion's diet are rabbits, jackrabbits, javelinas, and rodents.
- a c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s
- INTRODUCTION
- BEHAVIORAL CLASSES
- 2 YEARS OLD
- MOUNTAIN LION TRAVELING PATTERNS
- SCRAPES
- SCATS
- WILDLIFE PREDATION
- LIVESTOCK DEPREDATION
- LION AND HUMAN INTERACTION
- LION-HUMAN ENCOUNTER
- WHAT TO DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER A MOUNTAIN LION
I wish to thank Texas Parks and Wildlife Department employees Bob Cook, Bob West, Ron George, Matt Wagner, Jack Kilpatric, Bill Russ, Mike Pittman, Tim Bone, Ruben Cantu, Georg Zappler and David Riskind for their assistance and review of this manuscript. Thanks are also due Jimmy Rutledge, TPWD, for his contribution on the biology of the mountain l...
The mountain lion (Puma concolor), also known as cougar, puma and panther, has been an integral part of the Texas fauna for thousands of years, as evidenced by the paintings and pictographs of Native Americans (see left) and the fossil record. Lions were once common throughout Texas, but since Anglo settlement, they have mostly been confined to iso...
In order to make competent observations, the field observer should be aware of three behavioral classes of lions. These categories are extremely important when interpreting lion population dynamics. A transient is a lion without a home range. This can be a young dispersal-age individual or an older lion that has been displaced. Lions of this class ...
Canines are white, no stains. No wear on first and second incisors; third incisor may show slight wear. Tips of canines show little wear.
Lions travel in a deliberate, “businesslike” manner compared to dogs or coyotes (Canis latrans). They seldom run, except when trying to catch prey or escaping their enemies. The nature of a lion is to walk slowly, ever watchful for the opportu-nity to catch prey. Therefore, most tracks will be a walking track. When walking, a lion travels in a stra...
Lions leave scrapes (Figure 7) or “markers” in areas where other lions can locate them. Consequently, the location of scrapes is predictable. Scrapes can be found in caves, on ridge-lines, at junctions in canyons and along trails. A scrape is made by the hind feet in a backwards kicking motion. The two scrape marks are about 6-8 inches in length an...
Lion scats are similar to those of a bobcat, but larger (Figure 8). Each dropping is segmented and contains very little vegetable matter. The type of scat indicates the time elapsed since the lion’s last kill. Lions normally feed first on the internal organs of their prey, and scats from this feeding consist mostly of gray matter mixed with some ha...
DEER Whenever and wherever available, deer are the choice prey for mountain lions. In general, deer kills are made one at a time, but occasionally, females with cubs kill several deer at a time, caching the carcasses in different locations. Lions normally cover deer kills. They will take any deer, regardless of size or sex. Kills may be totally con...
SHEEP Sheep kills are usually multiple. It is not uncommon to find up to 30 sheep killed by a single lion, but normally only one or two sheep are fed on. Lions return to feed on these kills and at the same time may kill more sheep. All age classes of sheep are preyed on with lambs being fed on more than older sheep. Lions do not cover all their she...
Mountain lions rarely interact with humans; however, with the ever-growing human population, the frequency of encounters between lions and humans in Texas is likely to increase. Many ranchette-type subdivisions and urban fringe areas are expanding into lion habitat. Deer feeding and reduced hunting activity will increase deer populations in these a...
A large number of lion sightings in an area frequented by humans. Disappearance of pet cats and dogs from yards. Lions which appear to have lost their normal fear of humans. (In most cases this lion will be a juvenile male or escaped pet). IF YOU LIVE IN AN AREA KNOWN TO BE INHABITED BY LIONS, THERE ARE SEVERAL PRECAUTIONS YOU CAN TAKE. THESE PREVE...
There are no proven actions to minimize an attack if you meet a lion, but reports based on personal observation by people who have encountered lions provide useful suggestions. Remember every incident is different, depending on the specific lion, the particular person and their individual behaviors. If you are in a park or other area where lions ar...
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Sep 26, 2022 · Mountain lions, also called cougars, pumas and Florida panthers, are a wide-ranging, large felid in the western hemisphere. Every U.S. state in which there are breeding populations of mountain lions offer the species some level of protection, except Texas.
- L. Mark Elbroch, Patricia M. Harveson
- 46, Issue5
- 26 September 2022
Nov 29, 2023 · Geographical Distribution: Mountain lions are found in several regions across Texas, with higher concentrations in the Trans-Pecos region, the South Texas brush country, and the Hill Country. They are less common in East Texas and the Panhandle.
Before Europeans settled the area, mountain lions ranged across Texas and throughout neighboring states. Predator control, residential development, oil fields, and other forms of habitat loss have limited mountain lions to the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas.
Mountain lions are known by many names, including cougar, puma, catamount, painter, panther, and many more. They are the most wide-ranging cat species in the world and are found as far north as Canada and as far south as Chile.
Today, they're found only in West Texas and in South Texas, with the exception of an occasional cat that's dispersing and looking for a territory. Those individuals can be seen at random. They'll travel hundreds of miles sometimes, and wind up in goofy places like Dallas.
