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Study examines mountain lion, human contact at Big Bend Price Rumbelow spent his days looking for mountain lions. He figures one to two dozen roam the Big Bend National Park, and has been studying the potential for humanmountain lion conflicts in the park. The park receives more than 300,000 visitors each year. The Sul Ross State CLOSE ENCOUNTER: Mountain lions live in rugged Texas University graduate country, but tracking their movement shows they utilize student has been low areas more often than originally thought. Conflicts using trail monitors between lions and humans at Big Bend National Park is and GPS collars on rare. Photo by Price Rumbelow. captured lions to obtain information on the times and frequency that the paths of lions and humans may cross. And he’s learned a few things along the way. “Lions used the low areas more than we expected,” Rumbelow said. “Mountain lion is a misnomer. “Lions don’t need mountains, just rugged terrain. When hiking the lower desert trails, keep your eyes open and cameras ready.” In the last 10 years, more than 1,000 lion encounters — which range from seeing tracks to actual attacks — have been reported in the park. In the 70-plus-year history of the park, only eight actual attacks have been recorded, none fatal. Rumbelow’s research included placing 20 trail monitors to measure human activity on a seasonal basis. The monitors shoot lasers from transmitters to receivers. A break in the laser indicates passage, and records the time of day. Trails were measured for two-week periods
LoneOStar Outdoor News
April 22, 2016
Page 5
Benefits of safari hunting stressed by IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) issued a report that educates European decision-makers and the public on the benefits of hunting abroad. An IUCN briefing published this month discusses in great detail how legal, well-regulated hunting can and does generate critically needed incentives and revenue in order for government, private and community landowners to maintain and restore wildlife as a land use and to carry out conservation actions, including much-needed anti-poaching interventions. A group of members of the European Parliament have called for the signing of a declaration to ban imports of trophies. IUCN urges that their findings be incorporated into any discussions calling for partial or full bans on trophy importations. IUCN’s findings show the widespread benefits resulting from trophy hunting and provide scientific research as a basis for policy decisions. The facts listed in the brief illustrate the increased wildlife populations, the increased habitat and the improved livelihoods of surrounding communities
brought about by hunting revenues. Restrictions on importation of trophies can make hunting programs economically unviable at local levels. This loss of local and national revenue may remove incentives for entities to properly manage and protect wildlife and would likely cause serious declines in populations of a number of threatened or iconic species. Dallas Safari Club and other groups praised the report. “As a member of IUCN since 2015, DSC is pleased to see the IUCN’s findings align with our mission to better inform those in charge of making decisions and implementing policies that can forever affect our natural resources,” said DSC Executive Director Ben Carter. “We support science-based decision making − not emotion-based − and the IUCN’s findings demonstrate how trophy hunting not only improves wildlife populations and habitat but also the surrounding communities.” —DSC
Delta Waterfowl research for 2016 Throughout the organization’s history, Delta Waterfowl has conducted waterfowl research that has helped shape the direction of waterfowl management and programs across North America. In 2016, Delta Waterfowl’s slate of research projects — many in collaboration with leading university waterfowl scientists and conservation partners — seeks solutions to a diverse set of waterfowl management issues. While much of the work is focused on breeding ducks during the three-month nesting season, researchers will also delve into wetland protection questions and attempt to better understand hunter recruitment and retention. In 2016, Delta Waterfowl will conduct studies on the following subjects: • Predator reduction for over-water nesting ducks • Effects of oil production activities on nesting ducks
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Testing predator reduction and hen houses in Alberta Parklands Vetch cover for mallards in California Hen houses for nesting mottled ducks in South Carolina Drones and thermal imaging as duck research tools Counting diving ducks using drones Managing invasive phragmites Hotspot trapping in North Dakota Hunter recruitment and retention in Prairie Canada Banding canvasbacks at Delta Marsh Farmer feedback on Delta’s Working Wetlands Pilot Hunting impacts on mallard survival and reproduction —Delta Waterfowl
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