http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/5699593-151/cougar-sightings-rise-on-the-coast?referrer=home&referrer=list
BY KATIE FRANKOWICZ;Published Oct. 25, 2017
ASTORIA — Yellow signs at trailheads in Ecola and Fort Stevens state parks feature a drawing of a cougar and a blank space to write the date whenever the animal is spotted.
Most years these spaces remain empty, but state wildlife managers say cougar populations appear to be increasing elsewhere along the Oregon Coast, raising questions about what is and what could become cougar country.
An updated cougar management plan, approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission in mid-October, found that the coast management zone has reported a rise in cougar sightings, as well as an increase in conflicts with the big cats.
An updated cougar management plan, approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission in mid-October, found that the coast management zone has reported a rise in cougar sightings, as well as an increase in conflicts with the big cats.
Zone A(Coast North Cascades) seeing Puma prospecting taking place
Now, state biologists based in Newport are beginning the first-ever coastal effort to attach GPS collars to adult cougars and track their movements to see just how far these predators wander, what they eat and where they might be going next.
The coast management zone is a large area that includes the northern section of the Cascade Mountain Range, the Portland, Salem and Eugene metro areas and the rural North Coast. For years these areas were written off, not considered good cougar habitat, said Derek Broman, carnivore-furbearer coordinator for the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department.
Note that National Forest cover is not as prevalent in
the Coast North Cascades--Can Pumas make a home
there successfully?
Note that National Forest cover is not as prevalent in
the Coast North Cascades--Can Pumas make a home
there successfully?
Sure, the animals were present, but they existed in a fragmented region, a mix of urban and rural where the lush, rough terrain and relatively limited prey made for poor habitat. It was the last place to expect a population boom.
“Those might have been some premature assumptions,” Broman said. “They’re not holding true.”
Wildlife managers believe cougars could be reaching a saturation point elsewhere in the state, forcing young animals to seek new territory. However, on the coast and in the Willamette Valley, human populations have increased along with cougar populations, opening the door for potential clashes and an uptick in sightings.
In the updated cougar management plan, there are maps of the coastal zone sprinkled with dots that represent the locations of dead cougars — cats killed by hunters, struck by cars or shot by wildlife managers after they threatened human or animal safety. The mortality numbers, along with the ages of the dead cougars, are one way wildlife managers estimate the total population.
Are there really 6000+ Pumas alive in Oregon today?
On one map, showing cougar mortality from 1987 to 1994, there is a smattering of dead animals. Each dot is distinct. In the map for 2006 to 2016, the dots form thick black clusters in the south, especially around the Alsea management area near Newport where biologists plan to begin to collar and tag cougars this fall.
Are there really 6000+ Pumas alive in Oregon today?
On one map, showing cougar mortality from 1987 to 1994, there is a smattering of dead animals. Each dot is distinct. In the map for 2006 to 2016, the dots form thick black clusters in the south, especially around the Alsea management area near Newport where biologists plan to begin to collar and tag cougars this fall.
Broman calls the Alsea area the “front range of cougar expansion.”
Jason Kirchner, a state wildlife biologist who is leading the collaring efforts, is replicating a study from northeastern Oregon, an area known for having a robust cougar population. The Alsea team hopes to collar 10 adult cougars, preferably five males and five females. They are curious what they will discover.
An estimated 6,493 cougars lived in Oregon in 2015 — a healthy population, according to the state.
-------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF OREGON'S PUMA POPULATION
-------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF OREGON'S PUMA POPULATION
No comments:
Post a Comment