prey use by mountain lions in southern Texas

摘要

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/ km~2, 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.