Dakota lions along Missouri

[Emily]

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/article ... 478486.txt

ND mountain lions wandering
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
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The Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. -- A new report from the state Game and Fish Department says the mountain lions in North Dakota's Badlands may be wandering into the northern Missouri River Breaks region.

"In the past year and a half, we had four mountain lions verified in that region, and in the previous five years only one," Game and Fish Department biologist Dorothy Fecske said.

The Missouri River Breaks region is mostly along the Missouri River and Lake Sakakawea from south of Williston through the Fort Berthold Reservation. The report said it has enough suitable habitat for a small number of mountain lions.

"There is an indication there are multiple breeding females in the Badlands since the early '90s," said Fecske, who gave her report to Game and Fish Department managers Monday.

Fecske analyzed the carcasses of two mountain lions -- a 97-pound, 4-year-old female and a 2-year-old, 112-pound male-- late last week.

The female appeared to have had two kittens, but was not traveling with kittens when she was killed, Fecske said. Kittens can survive on their own at around 9 months, she said. Mountain lions traveling with kittens, and mountain lion kittens, are off-limits to hunters.

Three mountain lions have been killed this season in western North Dakota, in an area west of state Highway 8 and south of state Highway 1804 that has a quota of five cougars. The rest of the state has no quota before the season ends March 9.