ND game and fish lion summary

[Emily]

NORTH DAKOTA OUTDOORS: Big interest in mountain lions of North Dakota
Published Friday, December 14, 2007
I can honestly say that a decade ago, I'd never have guessed mountain lions would generate as much interest and discussion in North Dakota as currently is the case. And most would agree.
It just goes to show that we haven't discovered, researched or unearthed all there is to know about any wildlife species in North Dakota. Even white-tailed deer, one of the more popular and common game animals in the state, still can throw the occasional curve ball at even the most respected of big game biologists.

The here and now is that mountain lion season No. 3 continues in North Dakota until March 9 in the region outside the Badlands quota zone, or Zone 1. The Badlands zone closed during the opening weekend of deer season after the fifth cat was taken Nov. 10, reaching the preset harvest limit of five.

The area referred to as Zone 1 includes the portion of North Dakota west of state Highway 8 from the South Dakota border to the south shore of Lake Sakakawea, and south and west of state Highway 1804 from the Montana border to a point where Highway 1804 lies directly across Lake Sakakawea from Highway 8.

All five cats taken in Zone 1 were females. The first was taken Sept. 1 in McKenzie County, the next two were taken in mid-September in McKenzie and Dunn counties, the fourth taken Oct. 30 in McKenzie County and the fifth lion shot Nov. 10 in McKenzie County.

At this time, not a single lion has been taken outside of the quota zone, which again is interesting in its own right. Last year, two lions were taken by hunters, and one was hit by a vehicle east of the Missouri River.

Within the quota zone, all five cats taken in 2007 were female.

Earlier in the fall, Game and Department furbearer biologist Dorothy Fecske released a report on mountain lion data collected in the past few years. Fecske said DNA analysis of 17 lions sampled since 2004 indicates that mountain lions probably have been breeding in the Badlands of western North Dakota for at least the past decade.

"Most of the lions were not related to each other," Fecske said. "This provides clear evidence that multiple breeding-age females likely occurred in the Badlands since the late 1990s."

Also, the age and sex composition of lions taken in the Badlands during the past two hunting seasons indicates the population apparently has not declined because of hunter harvest.

During the past two hunting seasons (not including 2007), no breeding-age females were taken by hunters, and all animals taken appeared in good nutritional condition.

"The adult breeding-age females are the most important animals to keep track of, especially for a relatively small and isolated lion population like we have in North Dakota," Fecske said.

Data also suggests the mountain lion population may be expanding into the northern Missouri River breaks, the counties bordering Lake Sakakawea and the upper reaches of the Missouri River. Four confirmed sightings have been documented in this area over the past 18 months, compared with only one confirmed sighting the previous five years.

According to a habitat suitability map, the Badlands and Missouri River breaks contain sufficient suitable habitat to support a small population of 45 to 74 resident adult animals if there were no hunting mortality. Fecske said mountain lions historically have appeared in this region of the state.

Another note of interest is that a young male mountain lion, fitted with a radio-collar last November after inadvertently getting caught in a trap in the Badlands, has remained in the region. The lion has traveled over an area of 140 square miles in the past year.

"We continue to document lion activity in North Dakota," Fecske said. "We don't have all the answers yet, but every passing month we are learning more about the state's lion population and how to properly manage it."

The report summarizing mountain lions in North Dakota is available on the Game and Fish Department Web site at gf.nd.gov.

http://gf.nd.gov/multimedia/ndoutdoors/ ... ecent.html


Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. Reach him by e-mail at dleier@nd.gov">dleier@nd.gov. Read his blog daily at areavoices.com/dougleier.