Patrick Cummins once observed a cougar making its way through his backyard, scaling his deck, and traversing the roof of his house.
Living close to Bergen, Alta., Cummins didn’t actually witness the cougar; he only found its paw prints in the snow.
In the 51 years he has resided on the property, he has yet to see a cougar in person, although he has captured images of these secretive animals on trail cameras.
“We always suspected cougars were around,” Cummins noted. “I guess we’ve always been a bit cautious, but as far as I know, they’ve never posed a threat to anyone here.”
However, the presence of tracks can expose a normally hidden predator.
A cougar crosses Patrick Cummins’s property near Bergen, Alta., on Feb. 7. Recent research investigates how human development impacts cougar survival in west-central Alberta. (Submitted by Patrick Cummins)
Recent studies from west-central Alberta indicate that roads, residential areas, and other human-constructed pathways that intersect with cougar habitats may influence not only the movement patterns of these animals but also their survival rates.
Over a five-year period, researchers monitored 80 cougars fitted with GPS collars and discovered that their risk of mortality increased as they came closer to homes and secondary roads, particularly when they frequently navigated through human-made openings.
Out of 37 recorded fatalities, 29 were attributed to human activity.
“This is largely about how accessible hunting becomes,” explained Carter Littlefair, the study’s lead author, whose findings were published Wednesday in PLOS One.
Littlefair, who conducted this research while pursuing his graduate studies at the University of Alberta, noted that secondary roads can facilitate easier access for hunters to cougar territories, while clearings may indicate the paths taken by these animals.
“Whenever a cougar crosses a road, it leaves tracks behind.”
Cougars typically avoid paths frequented by humans, prompting the province to aim for a reduction in trail density in crucial wildlife habitats. (Submitted Delaney Frame/Alberta Environment and Parks)
Human influence related to mortality risk
The research tracked cougars from 2016 to 2021 across a landscape that included secondary roads and human-made clearings such as seismic lines, powerline corridors, and railways.
Hunting emerged as the primary cause of death, responsible for 16 out of 37 fatalities. Additionally, eight cougars perished after being trapped for other wildlife, while five were killed in vehicle accidents or by landowners dealing with problem animals.
The study also unveiled a significant seasonal variation in survival rates. From April to October, the estimated survival rate was 96 percent, whereas it dropped to 62 percent from November to March.
The cougar hunting season in Alberta coincided with the study, starting on December 1 and lasting until the end of February or until quotas were fulfilled.
The study identified a correlation between cougar mortality rates and human-induced features, although it did not directly assess hunter activity. Littlefair suggested that enhanced access for hunters and the increased likelihood of spotting cougars might clarify this connection.
Implications of the findings for the population
Researchers estimated the annual survival rate at around 60 percent, which Littlefair noted is comparable to other hunted cougar populations. He mentioned that hunting accounted for a lesser portion of mortality compared to some previous studies.
According to Alberta Forestry and Parks, cougar mortality rates in the study area align with those found in other regions where hunting is allowed.
The department clarified that the study encompassed roughly 15 percent of Alberta’s cougar management areas at the time and advised caution against extrapolating the results to the entire province. They reported observing increases in both cougar populations and their range throughout Alberta.
The research did not provide estimates regarding the population size or reproduction, so the researchers are unable to determine if the population is increasing, stable, or declining.
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Littlefair remarked that while the research sheds light on the causes of cougar deaths, it cannot ascertain whether these deaths occur at an unsustainable rate.
For Cummins, the involvement of humans in the fatalities was surprising.
“Yes, that comes as a surprise to me,” he stated.
“There are more people in rural areas now than there used to be,” Cummins observed. “So, perhaps this increase in human presence in the wilderness is a contributing factor.”
