Javascript required
Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer
Home / Az Game and Fish and Baby Mountain Lion

Az Game and Fish and Baby Mountain Lion

Living with Mountain Lions

Puma concolor

Visit our 'Learn About Mount Lions in Arizona' folio for information on mountain lion facts and management.

Mountain lions can exist plant throughout Arizona and are most common in rocky or mountainous terrain. Considering mountain lions are shy and elusive, people do not frequently run into them. The current population guess can be found on the Learn Well-nigh Arizona'south Big Cats web page. Mount lions are solitary animals with the exception of females with kittens or breeding pairs. Signs of mountain king of beasts presence include large tracks (3-5 inches broad) without hook marks; big segmented, cylindrical droppings; food caches where a kill has been partially eaten and and then covered with leaves, castor or dirt; and scrapes in soft dirt or leaf litter.

Living with Mountain Lions brochure
Agreement Mount Lion Management in Arizona — The facts about Arizona's robust and expanding mountain lion population
Arizona Mountain Lions (video)

Description and Habits
  • Tan or ruby-red chocolate-brown to dusky or slate gray coat; young have numerous black spots that mostly disappear with age
  • Long tail that is about ii/3 of body length, white underneath with a dark brown or blackness tip
  • 70-150 pounds (males unremarkably larger than females)
  • 25-32 inches tall at the shoulder (similar to a German shepherd dog)
  • five ½ to more than viii anxiety long
  • Average litter of three kittens, which are yellowish-dark-brown with black spots
  • Kittens stay with mother for approximately 18 months
  • Alive up to 13 years in wild with boilerplate of less than 6 years
  • Tin can jump 20 feet vertically and xl anxiety horizontally in a single leap
  • Rarely make vocal noises, unless during convenance flavour or when threatened
  • Territory sizes range from 10 to 150 square miles; males range more widely than females
  • Diet is primarily deer, but also includes javelina, bighorn sheep, elk, small mammals and occasional depredation on livestock and pets
Possible Conflicts with Humans and Pets

Urban sprawl often results in shrinking habitat and increases the number of conflicts betwixt humans and wildlife, such every bit mountain lions. Conflicts tin can occur when a mountain panthera leo becomes besides accustomed to the presence of people, ofttimes near where we live or recreate, and begin preying on livestock or other domestic animals. Although uncommon, mountain lion attacks on humans occasionally occur.

  • Mount Lions are around usa
What Attracts Them?

Mount lions virtually often pass through man-occupied space, but may stay longer if they have access to food, water, or shelter.

  • Nutrient sources found well-nigh people's homes includes deer, javelina, rabbits, unsecured domestic animals, or livestock.
  • Water for drinking tin can include a swimming puddle, fountain, pond, or pet's h2o basin.
  • Mountain lions might use "cave-like" areas beneath sheds, unused buildings, and storm drains, or elevated wooden patios, for shelter.

Other factors that may contribute to mountain lions presence effectually humans include:

  • Drought – Wildlife will come into urban fringe areas to search for food and water.
  • Wildfires – Arizona wildfires damage vital habitat and strength animals into new areas.
  • Habituation to humans through close contact, exposure, and increased development near wild animals habitat.

Humans feeding mountain lion prey (like javelina or deer), having livestock side by side to wildlife habitat, and related activities create familiarity and habituation to humans.

What Should I Practise?

Mount lions are predators capable of seriously injuring or killing humans. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is committed to helping people learn how to deport responsibly and live safely in proximity to mountain lions, and to removing animals that are a potential threat to the public.

The gamble of attack past a mountain panthera leo is modest, but real; children are almost at risk. Mountain lions may return repeatedly if food, water, or shelter is available. Nonetheless, mount lions employ natural areas, such as washes, to move through populated areas to more than remote areas, and such movements are necessary to forbid bug with inbreeding and local extinction associated with habitat fragmentation. If food, water, and shelter are not available, mount lions generally move on to other areas more than apace. If you live or recreate in lion country, remain aware of your surroundings and accept steps to minimize risks to yourself, your family unit, and pets.

If you see a mountain lion

  • Do not approach the brute. Well-nigh mountain lions will endeavor to avoid a confrontation. Give them a mode to escape.
  • Stay calm and speak loudly and firmly.
  • Practise not run from a mountain lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion'south instinct to chase.
  • Stand and confront the animal. Make center contact.
  • Appear larger by raising your arms or opening your jacket if you are wearing i. Throw stones, branches, or whatever you lot can attain without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly. The idea is to convince the lion that you are not easy prey and that y'all may be a danger to information technology.
  • Maintain center contact and slowly back away toward a building, vehicle, or decorated area.
  • Protect small children then they won't panic and run.
  • Fight back if attacked. Many potential victims have fought back successfully with rocks, sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools, their blank hands, and even mountain bikes. Since a mountain king of beasts usually tries to bite the head or neck, effort to remain standing and face the animal.

Study all mount panthera leo attacks to 911. All mountain lion encounters and attacks, sightings in urban areas, property damage due to mount lions or possession of a live mount king of beasts should also exist reported to your local Arizona Game and Fish Department function (eight a.yard. to v p.thousand., Monday – Friday excluding holidays). After hours and weekends, a radio dispatcher is available at (623) 236-7201.

If you lot live in mountain lion country, you should
  • Hike or walk in groups.
  • Make noise when you're outside.
  • Closely supervise children whenever they play outdoors, especially in rugged state between dusk and dawn. Talk with children about mountain lions and teach them what to practice if they encounter one.
  • Go along dogs, cats, poultry, sheep, goats, rabbits, rodents and other domestic animals indoors or in a secure enclosure with a sturdy roof. Always walk pets on a ternion. Roaming pets are like shooting fish in a barrel prey for hungry mountain lions and coyotes. Practice non feed pets exterior and keep their food inside; the food can attract javelina and other mountain panthera leo casualty.
  • Avert feeding wild fauna. Past feeding deer, javelina, or other wildlife in your m, you may inadvertently concenter mount lions, which prey upon them.
  • Trim landscaping effectually your home. Remove dense and depression-lying vegetation that tin can provide good hiding places for mount lions and coyotes, especially around children'due south play areas.
  • Install outdoor lighting. Proceed the firm perimeter well lit at nighttime, peculiarly forth walkways, to go along any budgeted lions visible.

Call back that mountain lion removal is normally a last resort. Relocation is not a viable option because it often ends in the astringent injury or death of one or both lions in that territory.

Information technology is important to keep wildlife wild and remove any is attracting mountain lions. If people are regularly seeing a king of beasts in a particular area, it may mean the lion represents a public prophylactic run a risk. In some cases, the section may remove a lion that presents an imminent threat to human rubber. A person may only impairment a lion in self-defense or to defend another person (simply run across "Laws and Policies" section, beneath).

To prevent further problems
  • Avoid using rodent poisons, which may toxicant mountain lions, too every bit other animals.
  • Close or patch-up any potential mountain panthera leo shelter.
  • Try using bright lights, flashing white lights, blaring music, barking dogs, and changes in the placement of scarecrow objects to temporarily repel mount lions. Sprinklers and commercial motion-activated inflatable scarecrows startle animals when activated.
  • Always piece of work with your neighbors for a consistent solution.
Possible Health Concerns

Mount lions are at adventure of getting a variety of diseases, including those mutual to house cats, simply niggling is known about their rates of illness. They are besides subject to death by secondary poisoning from common rodent poisons that contain blood anticoagulants.

Rabies – Symptoms of rabies can include foaming at the oral fissure, staggering, circumvoluted, and/or fearful, paralyzed, and lethargic behavior. If you see whatsoever wild creature with symptoms of rabies, telephone call 911 or your local Game and Fish role immediately. Anyone bitten past a mountain lion must immediately seek medical attending for rabies shots unless the biting animal tin be captured and tested for rabies. Notify the Arizona Game and Fish Section and your local health department immediately if any physical contact with a mountain lion occurs.

Laws and Policies
  • Mountain lions are classified equally big game. A valid hunting license is required except in the case of depredation (killing of livestock) (ARS-17-302 and 17-239). Come across Arizona Game and Fish Section Hunting Regulations.
  • The possession of a live mount lion is illegal without Department blessing and permit.
  • State law prohibits discharging a firearm inside a quarter-mile of an occupied farmhouse or other residence, cabin, lodge, or building while taking wildlife without permission of possessor or resident.
  • Cheque your local urban center ordinances, but most cities ban shooting firearms inside urban center limits. Some cities ban the use of slingshots, BB guns, air guns, or bows.

mcphillamymyseat.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife/livingwith/mountainlions/