Study of GPS-collared cougars in west-central Alberta links most deaths to people

The Story

A five-year study tracking 80 GPS-collared cougars in west-central Alberta has found that cougar mortality risk was higher near homes and secondary roads and among animals that crossed human-made clearings more frequently.

Researchers documented 37 cougar deaths during the study period, and 29 were caused by people. Hunting was the largest single cause of death, accounting for 16 of the 37 deaths.

The study also found that eight cougars died after being caught in traps set for other animals. Five more were killed in vehicle collisions or removals involving problem animals, or by a landowner.

The research covered a landscape that included secondary roads and human-made clearings such as seismic lines, powerline corridors and railways. Researchers reported an association between cougar mortality risk and these human features, while noting they did not directly measure hunter activity.

Lead author Carter Littlefair, who completed the research while a graduate student at the University of Alberta, said secondary roads can provide easier access to cougar habitat, and clearings can show where the animals have travelled.

The study also reported a seasonal difference in survival, with estimated survival of 96 per cent from April through October, compared with 62 per cent from November through March.

During the study years of 2016 to 2021, Alberta’s cougar hunting season began Dec. 1 each year and ran through the end of February or until quotas were met.

Researchers estimated annual survival at about 60 per cent and said the findings are consistent with other hunted cougar populations, while also cautioning that the study did not estimate population size or reproduction. Alberta Forestry and Parks said the study area covered about 15 per cent of Alberta’s cougar management areas at the time and cautioned against applying the results provincewide.