Mountain Lions of the Black Hills

Nutritional Ecol ogy of Mountain Lions 89

At the time when the lion population was believed to be saturated ( after about
2005), the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks received numerous re-
ports of lions eating domestic cat and dog food that had been placed outside doors or
on patio decks; and lions were observed near homes, presumably looking for food. Lions
also were found in garages or outbuildings (potentially hunting mice) or barns (in
close proximity to livestock). Mountain lions were documented killing llamas, sheep,
and goats, and there were reports (although most were unverified) of attacks on cattle
and horses. In fact, over 20% of necropsied lion carcasses showed evidence of con-
sumption of domestic species ( table 6.4). In response to these kills and reports, the

Table 6.3. Stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) tract contents of Dakota

mountain lions, 2003–2007

ID Age Cause of Death Stomach / GI Tract Contents

F1 3.0–4.0 yrs. Harvest Beaver, rodent, PPQa
F2 3 yrs. Vehicle Trace amount of deer hair
F3 2.0–3.0 yrs. Vehicle Deer, PPQa
F4 1.0–2.0 yrs. Legal Kill White- tailed jackrabbit, rodent, PPQa
M1 1.5–2.5 yrs. Harvest Deer, vegetation, PPQa
M2 2.0–2.5 yrs. Legal Kill Domestic house cat, PPQa
M3 1.0–2.0 yrs. Vehicle Deer, porcupine (in stomach), vegetation, PPQa
M4 1.5–2.5 yrs. Legal Kill Deer
M5 2 yrs. Legal Kill Badger, mink, deer, PPQa
M6 2 yrs. Harvest Deer, porcupine (in stomach)
M7 2.5–4.0 yrs. Illegal Kill Vegetation, PPQa
M8 2.0–3.0 yrs. Removal Domestic house cat, PPQa
M9 3 yrs. Electrocution Empty, PPQa
M10 3.0–4.0 yrs. Incidental Snare Empty, PPQa

Sourcea : Thompson et al. 2009.
Mountain lion carcass contained prevalence of porcupine quills (PPQ) imbedded in the flesh at time of
necropsy.

Table 6.4. Number of necropsied mountain lions that had evidence of porcupine consumption

(%Porcupine), domestic animal consumption ( %Domestic), and were classed as emaciated

(%Emaciated), based on carcass condition ( fat content and external characteristics),

1998–2005, in the Black Hills

Year N Age %Porcupine %Domestic %Emaciated

1998 2 2 50 0 0
1999 6 2.2 100 0 0
2000 3 3 50 0 0
2001 3 1 34 0 0
2002 10 2.5 70 0 0
2003 10 2 55 33 0
2004 20 2 63 25 10
2005 25 2 35 20 4