Steve Grooms who has published RETURN OF THE WOLF and who sits on the Advisory Board of International Wolf up in Ely, Minnesota wrote a very to-the-point and informative article focusing on how Cougars and Wolves can successfully co-exist in a given ecosystem.
My analysis of Steve's article below:
My analysis of Steve's article below:
These two charismatic keystone top Predators have "lived in the same neighborhood in the Americas for millenia...................In fact, both the Cougar and Wolf vied for the most widely distributed Predator in the Americas prior to European colonization. While both are capable of killing each other and while both prey on many of the same hoofed species, both Cougar and Wolf historically were at home with each other whether in the Canadian Wilds, the Rockies.................the Great Plains........................the Southern Piney Woods and the Eastern Deciduous Forest.
While the Cougar at 120-200 pounds is the larger of the two predators(gray wolves weigh in at 85- 120 pounds and Eastern, Mexican and Red Wolves tip the scales at 50 to 100 pounds), a Cougar is no match for a Wolf Pack. For this reason, Cougars tend to utilize the more hilly, mountainous and marshy sections of habitat whereas wolves seek out the flatlands as their first choice of homeground. Cougars also enjoy Valley living but the Wolf packs make things tougher for them so they take advantage of their "stealth and spring" hunting techniques to bag Elk and deer in high Country..............As coursing(chasing) predators, wolves like the flatlands where they can go full out at their 40 mph top speeds and take down fleeing deer, elk and buffalo.
Because Wolf packs pressure Cougars where both species coexist, Cougars tend to produce smaller litters of cubs(stress on mother cougars results in smaller litters) and thus Cougar populations tend to be fewer in number than wolves. Cougars have smaller home ranges(150 square miles for males and 50 sq miles for females) versus Wolf packs (which range 200 to 500 square miles) and therefore Cougars do not have as much food available to them as Wolves(another reason for smaller populations)......................In addition, Wolf diets are more elastic than Cougars who tend to favor elk and deer(they will prey switch to Bighorn sheep where wolves put pressure on elk)...................Wolves savor both of those hoofed animals but will also dine on beaver and(when large enough in size(buffalo and Moose).
Bottom line is that we human animals have to make the effort to create larger and more connective swaths of open space to allow wolves, cougars(Griz and Black Bears, Wolverines) and all of the other Pre-Columbian predators enough food, cover and water to persist and thrive through the 21st Century and beyond.--BLOGGER RICK
This is really fascinating! Thanks for sharing it, Rick!
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