Game and Fish says Mountain Lions are in Arkansas but aren't breeding
Posted: Nov 25, 2013 7:47 PM PSTUpdated: Nov 27, 2013 7:21 AM PSThttps://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC4QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Flibinfo.uark.edu%2Faas%2Fissues%2F2001v55%2Fv55a3.pdf&ei=oEzUVLXALoafNtutg8gF&usg=AFQjCNE0wwzPoaHR5WKSYlcLcl9s_jY3rA&bvm=bv.85464276,d.eXY
The Puma was found statewide, but was probably more numerous in the remote upland regions of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. The panther was the terror of settlers, and many stories, probably exaggerated, were told of harrowing experiences of cat encounters (Holder, 1951; Thomas, 1972; Allen, 1989a; Sutton, 1998). By 1900, most mountain lions had been killed or driven to remote areas, and it was thought that by 1920 they had been extirpated from the state.
In addition to hunting pressure, the reduction of the white-tailed deer herd (which had dwindled to less than 300 animals) may also have played a role in the decrease of the mountain lion (Young and Goldman, 1946). Due to restoration projects, the deer population had increased by the late 1940s, and soon after ward a mountain lion was killed in Montgomery County (Sealander, 1951).
In the 1950s and 1960s, sightings and observations of sign increased (Lewis, 1969, 1970), and a second animal was killed in Ashley County (Noble, 1971). Sealander and Gipson (1973) summarized 63 mountain lion records from 1945 to 1972 and concluded that due to the increasing deer population, a small population of mountain lions existed in the state.
The last mountain lion killedin the state was in Logan County in 1975 (Sutton, 1998). McBride et al. (1993) concluded there were no reproducing lions in the state after conducting an extensive field study.
Reports of sightings or sign have persisted, however, and currently at least four mountain lions have been documented (Witsell et al., 1999; Clark et al., unpubl. data). The origin of these animals is not known, although there are over 100-150 captive animals currently inArkansas (Sasse, 2001), and free-ranging animals might possibly have originated from that source. Mountain lions in Arkansas originally were designated as P. concolor coryi, the endangered Florida panther. However, Culver et al. (2000), using mitochondrial DNA, have placed all North American mountain lions into one subspecies, P. c. couguar.
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WATCH THE VIDEO EVIDENCE OF VARIOUS PUMA SIGHTINGS IN ARKANSAS
OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS --CLICK ON LINK BELOW
http://m.4029tv.com/news/4029-investigation-new-mountain-lion-sightings/31122814
2 comments:
Mot sure I actually beieve the hunter in Arkansas saying he 'felt threatened', which is now just a code for saying he wants to legally get away with killing a mountain lion (suprise, suprise). Same with the guy who shot the Florida panther in Georgia a few years ago...anyone see the pictures of him grinning over the dead cat, rifle in hand? Threatened?
While on the subject, did anyone find out the results of the cougar shot in Kentucky in December? Was it a pet? Florida panther? Haven't seen ANYTHING in the news about it.
Hi Mark...............All of these "threatened" comments are B.S...........as you state.......hi powered rifle and all...........give me a break..............I have not heard of the Kentucky "DNA origen" results either...........Anyone else have information?
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