Mountain Lion - Conservation and Management
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Video: Episode 1: Mountain Lion Biology & Historical Perspective
Mountain Lion Biology and Historical Perspective
Mountain lions are a fascinating yet elusive animal, but when they do pop on the radar they make for big headlines. In Colorado, sightings of mountain lions are increasing and there have been a couple of high-profile attacks in the last two years. Thanks to sound management practices implemented over the years, mountain lions are doing quite well in Colorado. The challenge in the future will be balancing decreasing habitats and our exploding human populations.
Read our Bobcats, Mountain Lions and Lynx FAQs (en español) to learn more about Colorado Parks and Wildlife's mountain lion management practices.
Note: Colorado Parks and Wildlife takes no position for or against proposed initiatives such as Proposition 127 and will diligently implement all laws duly passed by the legislature and the Governor or by the voters.
Population Management Plans
Mountain Lion Population Management
Mountain lion Data Analysis Unit (DAU) plans provide a description of the lion management strategic goals and objectives within discrete geographic areas of Colorado. A more detailed description of the approach used in formulating the plans can be read in the DAU Revision and Quota Development Process document.
Unlike ungulate DAU plans which set population and herd structure objectives attainable via herd modeling and consequent setting of annual harvest objectives and license allocations, lion DAU plans extrapolate possible population levels and set maximum harvest and total mortality levels consistent with strategic management goals for the population within the DAU.
Draft Population Management Plans
There are currently no draft plans open for public comment. When comment periods are available, they are open for 30 days.
Finalized Population Management Plans
West Slope
Includes historical Southwest region DAUs L9, L20, L21, L22, L23, L24, and L25, and historical Northwest region DAUs L1, L2, L3, L5, L6, L7, and L9.
East Slope
Includes historical Southeast region DAUs L11, L16, L17, and L19, historical Northeast region DAU L4, and historical North Central Front Range DAU L12.
About Lion DAUs
In those DAUs where the strategic goal is to manage toward a stable or increasing lion population, then additional benchmarks are identified related to the proportion or number of females in mortality. The DAU plans provide a framework for setting harvest limits for lions in Game Management Units within the DAUs, which is done annually by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. During the annual regulation development process mountain lion objective sheets summarize harvest limit recommendations and any shifts in management priorities within DAUs.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife lion Data Analysis Unit (DAU) plans include analysis on habitat, prey availability, and lion density estimates derived from peer-reviewed literature to extrapolate a population index. Because of considerable uncertainty in these population extrapolations, harvest composition evaluations are also used to assess population trajectory. Hunter harvest is a tool used to increase or decrease the lion population based on a variety of species management objectives. Since hunter harvest and non-hunting mortality is annually variable and dependent upon influences such as weather, snow conditions, and damage conflicts; lion mortality is reported annually, but evaluated and monitored using multi-year averages to account for this variability.