Puma Concolor and Puma Concolor Coryi
The Eastern cougar, Puma concolor couguar has been declared extinct. All cougars in North America are the same species, Puma concolor, with the exception of Puma concolor coryi, which is the Fla Panther, the only recognized subspecies in North America
Cougars are reclaiming their eastern territories, could Alabama be next?
Very few eastern states have confirmations of cougars reentering their old eastern territories that they occupied over one hundred years ago. Most states had wiped out the cougar by the late 1800's. However states like Alabama the cougar lasted until the middle 1900's. The last known cougar killed in Alabama was in St Clair County around 1948, another was shot in Tuscaloosa County in 1956. However, in 1961 a cougar track was confirmed in the Fred T Stimpson Wildlife Sanctuary in Clarke County, and in the later 60's another was found. During the same era a Game and Fish Officer confirmed a den with cubs in north Baldwin County.There have been no confirmations that we are aware of since then. As far as actual breeding populations that have been established outside Florida are in the Pine Ridge area of Nebraska, the Black Hills of Wyoming and South Dakota, the Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge in Montana and the Cypress Hills on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.
Many people believe that there were small populations of the eastern cougar remained in some areas that were far off the beaten path from everyday traffic and human activity.However, no evidence of continued breeding has been documented outside the five areas listed above. In Fla the Everglades was one of these places that was not accessable to people for a long time. There the Fla Panther began a rebound after it was rediscovered in the late 60's and listed as a federal endangered species in 1973. Since then the population has more than doubled. Populations of cougar in Texas have grown and expanded into eastern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Ind, Michigan and others, With credible reports in many others. We have to remember that occasional confirmations are not the same as breeding populations, and no breeding populations exist in any of these states other than west Texas. The vast majority of sightings cannot be confirmed and are misidentifications of other animals.
Two years ago a Fla Panther was killed just across the Alabama line near Westpoint Ga. DNA evidence confirmed it to be a Fla Panther. This young male had traveled over 650 miles as the crow flies north without being seen, until a hunter killed it. These young males have been known to travel many miles looking for new territories. New hunting seasons in the Dakotas and Wyoming have produced large quotas beginning the slaughter of cougars in the source areas and killing the hopes for any natural recolonization eastward. sadly this attitude seems to be spreading. Nebraska recently passed legislation allowing hunting on its recovering population of only 20 adult cougars in the Pine Ridge panhandle of the state. Missour is considering a bill to allow the killing of a cougar for any reason or "kill on sight". 113 cougars, including nearly one third under the breeding age of two, were taken this season in the Black Hills and adjacent Bear Mountains of South Dakota and Wyoming. Ninety three were taken in the same region last year, the highest take-ratios ever recorded for a cougar population in the modern era of cougar management. (source: Cougar Rewilding Foundation) www.easterncougar.org
This site is an educational site dedicated to studying the role of cougars in the environment. we are especially interested in the expansion of cougar populations into their former habitats. If you have information on cougars in Alabama, Contact us.
Many people believe that there were small populations of the eastern cougar remained in some areas that were far off the beaten path from everyday traffic and human activity.However, no evidence of continued breeding has been documented outside the five areas listed above. In Fla the Everglades was one of these places that was not accessable to people for a long time. There the Fla Panther began a rebound after it was rediscovered in the late 60's and listed as a federal endangered species in 1973. Since then the population has more than doubled. Populations of cougar in Texas have grown and expanded into eastern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Ind, Michigan and others, With credible reports in many others. We have to remember that occasional confirmations are not the same as breeding populations, and no breeding populations exist in any of these states other than west Texas. The vast majority of sightings cannot be confirmed and are misidentifications of other animals.
Two years ago a Fla Panther was killed just across the Alabama line near Westpoint Ga. DNA evidence confirmed it to be a Fla Panther. This young male had traveled over 650 miles as the crow flies north without being seen, until a hunter killed it. These young males have been known to travel many miles looking for new territories. New hunting seasons in the Dakotas and Wyoming have produced large quotas beginning the slaughter of cougars in the source areas and killing the hopes for any natural recolonization eastward. sadly this attitude seems to be spreading. Nebraska recently passed legislation allowing hunting on its recovering population of only 20 adult cougars in the Pine Ridge panhandle of the state. Missour is considering a bill to allow the killing of a cougar for any reason or "kill on sight". 113 cougars, including nearly one third under the breeding age of two, were taken this season in the Black Hills and adjacent Bear Mountains of South Dakota and Wyoming. Ninety three were taken in the same region last year, the highest take-ratios ever recorded for a cougar population in the modern era of cougar management. (source: Cougar Rewilding Foundation) www.easterncougar.org
This site is an educational site dedicated to studying the role of cougars in the environment. we are especially interested in the expansion of cougar populations into their former habitats. If you have information on cougars in Alabama, Contact us.
