Environment & Energy

Eugene

(61,937 posts) Thu Jun 14, 2012, 09:34 AM Jun 2012

Cougars make a comeback after a century of decline

Source: BBC

14 June 2012 Last updated at 07:10 GMT

Cougars make a comeback after a century of decline

By Matt McGrath
Science reporter, BBC World Service

The American mountain lion or cougar is now re-populating parts of the US, scientists say.

Their numbers had plummeted in the last 100 years because of hunting and a lack of prey.

Writing in the Journal of Wildlife Management, researchers say the cougar is now spreading far outside their traditional western habitats.

But they say the return of the big cats raises important questions about how humans can live with these predators.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18425472

3 replies

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Cougars make a comeback after a century of decline (Original Post) Eugene Jun 2012 OP

"...spreading far outside their traditional western habitats." OnlinePoker Jun 2012 #1

Can't say if they're original or immigrants, but they're definitely around western New York state. TheWraith Jun 2012 #2

State agencies have an agenda appal_jack Jun 2012 #3

OnlinePoker

(5,725 posts)

1. "...spreading far outside their traditional western habitats."

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Thu Jun 14, 2012, 10:52 AM

Jun 2012

Maybe they're actually spreading back to their traditional habitats. The Eastern Cougar was exterminated by the original white settlers (though there is anecdotal evidence that remnant populations still exist).

TheWraith

(24,331 posts)

2. Can't say if they're original or immigrants, but they're definitely around western New York state.

Reply to OnlinePoker (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 14, 2012, 10:11 PM

Jun 2012

Even though according to the DEC there officially are no cougars in NY. Doesn't change that lots of people have seen them, including me, and a few have even gotten pictures.

appal_jack

(3,813 posts)

3. State agencies have an agenda

Reply to TheWraith (Reply #2)

Fri Jun 15, 2012, 10:58 AM

Jun 2012

State agencies have an agenda with respect to denying the presence of cougars. The minute they acknowledge cougars' presence, they will need to draft recovery & management plans. Ignoring the cougars is much easier. NC has a similar informal arrangement, and it seems to be working well for both people & big cats for now...

-app

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