Mountain Lions of the Black Hills

Disease Ecol ogy of Mountain Lions 75

distribution of prey susceptible to the protozoan. Rotstein et al. (2000) stated that prev-
alence varied from 18% for Florida panthers to 28% for mountain lions from Texas
that were released in Florida.
We also tested for Bartonella spp., other wise known as “cat scratch fever” (Rotstein
et al. 2000). In fact, exposure was twice as high in male lions as in female lions
( table 5.3). Scratches obtained during territorial interactions of male lions can result
in exposure, and depending on the number of wounds, death can result from the dis-

figure 5.3. Despite limited vision caused by cloudy- eye syndrome, affected mountain
lions were able to survive the condition until their vision improved. Photo by Dan
Thompson.

Table 5.3. Exposure frequencies and sample sizes for disease- causing organisms in blood sera

of mountain lions (Puma concolor) sampled in the Black Hills, South Dakota, 2006–2009

Sex Age Toxoplasma IgM Toxoplasma IgG Bartonella IgG

F Alla 0.0 56.9 5.2
M Alla 0.0 46.2 10.3
All Alla 0.0 52.6 7. 2

Sourcea : Jansen 2011.

Includes small number of kittens (<1 yr. old).