Availability and habitat use are central factors in the selection of prey by mountain lions (Puma concolor), and they are important for understanding predator-prey dynamics. We used an array of camera traps to evaluate the relative abundance and spatial distribution of mountain lions and their prey in the Davis Mountains of Texas. Resource selection was evaluated for four criteria: elevation, ecological system, fine-scale terrain ruggedness, and broad-scale terrain ruggedness. We used x(2) analysis to determine whether habitat was used in proportion to availability, and then we calculated a selection index with 95% confidence intervals using a Bonferroni adjustment. We found feral hog (Sus scrofa) to be the most abundant species, composing 23% of the total animals observed. Feral hog and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) were the most widespread species, each observed at 33 of 38 camera locations. For each prey species evaluated, habitat use differed significantly from availability for at least one of the four resource criteria. Mountain lion use of resource criteria was not different from availability, except they avoided the second lowest class of broad-scale terrain ruggedness. With knowledge of mountain lion habitat use and the availability of prey, resource managers can better assess what effects mountain lion predation may have on a specific species, thereby allowing for better management of those species.
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