Prey use by mountain lions in southern Texas Academic Article

abstract

• We described the diets of mountain lions (Puma concolor) in a prey-rich ecosystem of southern Texas from 1994 to 1997. We estimated, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and feral hog (Sus scrofa) densities at 7.7, 4.9, and 6.2 animals/ km2, respectively. Prey use was determined by identifying 75 mountain lions kills and contents of 25 scats. Mountain lions killed white-tailed deer in greater proportion than available, feral hogs less than available, and collared peccaries in proportion to availability. Resource managers in southern Texas should adjust harvest rates of large prey and enhance populations of buffer species to minimize the effects of mountain lion predation.

authors

• Silvy, Nova

published proceedings

• SOUTHWESTERN NATURALIST

author list (cited authors)

• Harveson, L. A., Tewes, M. E., Silvy, N. J., & Rutledge, J.

citation count

• 16

complete list of authors

• Harveson, LA||Tewes, ME||Silvy, NJ||Rutledge, J

publication date

• December 2000

publisher

• JSTOR  Publisher

published in

• Southwestern Naturalist  Journal

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.2307/3672595

start page

• 472

end page

• 476

volume

• 45

issue

• 4

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.2307%2F3672595