Is South Dakota killing too many lions?

A report from the Black Hills Mountain Lion Foundation after their September 18th educational seminar “Mountain Lions in the Black Hills: Facts and Fiction” presented by wildlife biologist Dr. John Laundre.

By increasing hunting quotas the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks department may threaten the viability of the state’s mountain lion population, according to a wildlife biologist who has studied cougars for more than 20 years. Adjunct professor in the State University of New York at Oswego biology department, Dr. John Laundre was the keynote speaker at Mountain Lions in the Black Hills: Facts and Fiction, an educational seminar sponsored by the Black Hills Mountain Lion Foundation. Laundre labeled the agency’s lion statistics “not biologically honest” and warned that overhunting could have a devastating impact on the lion population and lead to a loss of its ecological functionality. GF & P plans to increase the total harvest from 40 to 45 and the female sub-quota from 25 to 30 as part of its proposed 2010-2015 mountain lion management plan. An additional season with a quota of five lions has been proposed for Custer state park. Laundre pointed out that GF & P’s estimate of approximately 250 cougars in the state is misleading because only about 160 would be adult animals and most of the immature cats will disperse to other areas. Because it is uncertain how many females are in the population and how many kittens survive each year the total number of lions may be considerably lower than GF & P estimates, Laundre said.

Dr. John Laundre holding two mountain lion kittens

The wildlife biologist, who also serves as vice-president of the Eastern Cougar Foundation, has conducted research on wolves and elk in Yellowstone National Park, cougar predation on mule deer in Idaho and pumas in the Chihuahuan desert. Laundre complimented GF & P for its “holistic guiding philosophy” regarding the return of mountain lions to the Black Hills and its progressive views on their role in ecosystems but urged the agency to rework its figures using a wider range of data.

Laundre explained how mountain lions and other top predators help restore the ecological integrity of forests. He said that the removal of large carnivores from the country’s eastern and southern forests have resulted in the disappearance of many varieties of both flora and fauna due to unchecked browsing by white-tailed deer. “Deer are instigating… the most massive change in forest habitat since uncontrolled logging in our early history,” the scientist said. “In some areas, the deer have cleared the woods of most of the plant varieties that once grew there. Lack of sufficient ground cover in turn leads to a decline in song birds that depend on the vegetation for nest building. Mountain lions and other large predators promote forest integrity not because they kill deer,” Laundre said, “but because of the effect they have on deer they don’t kill.” Cougars hunt by ambush and prefer areas where there is sufficient cover. Deer learn where lions are likely to prowl and tend to avoid those areas, which ensures the survival of plant species that the ungulates otherwise would eradicate.

Photo courtesy of the Mountain Lion Foundation

Laundre does not believe that it is necessary to cut lion numbers to preserve deer for human hunters. “Cougars just are not efficient enough as hunters to impact deer populations.” He estimated that predators and human hunters together typically remove about 12 per cent of the deer population every year, a tolerable reduction from which the cervines quickly recover. An avid deer hunter, Laundre said that sportsmen commonly blame predators, including cougars, when deer numbers are down, but heavy snowfalls are more likely to cause severe declines. He added that “hunting is not supposed to be like shopping at the supermarket.” It is a sport which involves elements of chance and skill.

Finally, the wildlife researcher said that although lions are powerful carnivores they rarely attack human beings. “It is more dangerous to walk the streets in any U. S. city at night than it is to hike or live in an area with mountain lions,” he said. Laundre presented slides depicting his work, including one in which he held three squirming cougar kittens. He related that during his years of research work he never was threatened by a wild cougar even when he snatched up and examined its babies.

The Black Hills Mountain Lion Foundation was created in 2003 after South Dakota removed the cougar from the state’s threatened species list and identified it as a big game animal. Our goals are to inform the public about mountain lion behavior and their importance to our ecosystem, help reduce human-lion conflicts, and fight for the preservation of these animals on their natural landscape. We support mountain lion management that is based on peer-reviewed science and encourage efforts to prevent habitat loss and fragmentation. For more information, email us at bhsdlions@yahoo.com or visit our website at www.blackhillslions.com.

I ask you all to come to the BH Mountain Lion Foundation’s educational talk, held this Saturday in the Northern Hills — an area void of understanding and in desparate need of education regarding predators in general and cougars more specifically.

Tom Huhnerkoch DVM,RN
MOUNTAIN CATS TRUST (501c3)
605-584-1958
ccats@mato.com

MLF has assisted pet and livestock owners all over the county with building lion-proof small livestock enclosures.  This simple measure of building a pen (many are completed in a day) and tucking animals safely inside at night, helps keep both domestic and wild animals safe.  The following pens have been used to protect, goats, sheep, pigs and pet dogs.  Over the years, thousands of blue prints and assembly directions have been downloaded from the MLF website.  To learn more about how to build one, click here.

Taylorsville, California

Wolf Creek and Indian Valley 4-H Club members and the Mountain Lion Foundation celebrated 4-H’s 100th birthday by completing the first livestock pen designed specifically to protect goats and other domestic animals from mountain lions. The enclosure, built for the Howe family’s goats, is part of a demonstration project designed by the Mountain Lion Foundation to help humans and mountain lions be better neighbors.

“I’m glad our goats Lady and Mr. Freeze will be safe from lions,” said Shelby Howe, a 10-year-old 4-H member. “I like mountain lions – I just don’t want to feed them.” Shelby presented his 4-H project focusing on safeguarding goats from mountain lions at the Plumas County Fair that August.

Taylorsville, California

Jessica and Nathan no longer have to worry about the female lion that repeatedly guides her kittens down Wolf Creek, between their two backyards, across a busy highway and through the trailer court across the street. Every year parents and the local Fish and Game Warden advise elementary children to be aware of the mother lion and her kittens, who frequent the creek which runs below the Main Street bridge and through town. Most children in the area will tell you they know just what to do when they see one.

Valley Springs, California

While eating breakfast one morning, the Jorrick family noticed a mountain lion lounging in the tree just outside their kitchen window, not far from their unprotected goats.  The Jorrick’s property was home to more than a dozen Jenny Lind 4H club members’ project pygmy goats.  The club then decided it was time to build a lion-proof small livestock enclosure to protect their animals.  With a little help from MLF, the goats are now safe and sound in their pen at night.

Felton, California

When invited to participate in the MLF Living with Lions Ranchers’ Assistance Program, the Felton 4-H Club was eager to join this pro-active movement. This program provides groups with knowledge and understanding to make responsible decisions in their livestock management, and also includes a one-day workshop to build a predator-proof small livestock enclosure.

Although their livestock had not suffered from mountain lion depredation, over the years there had been many mountain lion sightings in the surrounding San Lorenzo Valley.

Indian Valley, California – Revisited

Shelby Howe, whose goats were the recipient of Mountain Lion Foundation’s very first pen, continues to spread the word about their efficacy. In 2005, Shelby won an award for his exhibit at the Plumas County Fair which showed the steps to take BEFORE getting a goat.

Even when it is not possible to know how many lions still roam because of these efforts, MLF will work with communities to build not just lion proof pens but to build a future for lions in the rural West. Local residents continue to raise the bar for best management practices.

Salem, Oregon

Pat and George Copa love their rare and valuable Pygoras, but still appreciate the wild predators that live just outside their Verdant Vistas farm in Oregon. The solution to keeping their Pygoras (Pygmy-Angora crossbreeds) safe and living peacefully with coyotes and mountain lions: an MLF-designed predator-proof pen. The first one in Oregon, too! During the day, the animals roam the yard with their guard llamas but from dusk ’til dawn they are secured in the new pen. MLF sponsored the build to serve as a demonstration for locals in this rural area, but plans are available for free at mountainlion.org and can be built for around $500 with supplies from your local hardware store.

Amador County, California

In a note to MLF, Janice wrote:
A couple of years ago, my friend Cathy said that you had published the plans for the lion proof goat enclosure.  I had lost all of my goats to a lion several years prior, and had decided that I could no longer have goats because of the risk of losing them.  I was thrilled to think that I could once again have pet goats and that they would be safe.  As you can see we made some changes to your plan.  Our goat fort is 18′x24′ and has an area to store hay and other goat things.  I have been very happy with our goat fort and my goats seem to be happy too.  Janice

Woodland Hills, California

During the Farm Walk, Canoga Park High School FFA volunteers built this livestock pen at Pierce College. Due to heavy development in southern California, mountain lion habitat in the region has become mostly isolated patches.  Learning to coexist with wildlife and protect their dispersal corridors is especially important.  MLF Southern California Field Representative, Christa Kermode, along with all the other hard workers display their pen for the locals. Nice work everyone!

South Dakota

In South Dakota, volunteers work with MLF and the Black Hills Mountain Lion Foundation to create a predator proof enclosure for fiber goats and sheep. In addition to the pen, volunteers also retrofitted an adjacent barn to house livestock safe from cougars, coyotes and pet dogs.  A chain link fence and secure roof are key!

Residents in South Dakota do not have to protect their animals from wildlife, and can kill any mountain lion that wanders through their property.  These two buildings will show the community there are easy was to coexist, and killing a lion is not necessary.

Naples, Florida

Not even Tropical Storm Barry could dampen the enthusiasm of these predator proof pen builders in Naples, Florida – although the downpours certainly dampened pretty much everything else! At one point, the wind was so strong, the crew decided to hold off putting the roof tarp on until the storm had passed.

Regardless, the local volunteers finished two pens on Saturday and now Rege and Al are keeping their goats safe. Just down the road, Rebecca is protecting her canine companions. Due to excellent media coverage, people all over the region now have access to MLF’s easy instructions for building their own pens.

Naples, Florida

The day after the two builds in Naples, most of the crew came back to brave the steaming heat while building a demonstration pen at the Collier County Extension! All told, County Commissioner Henry Coletta, along with volunteers from the Mountain Lion Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Parks Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Collier County Extension Service and Friends of the Panther Refuge joined 4-H kids and families for an educational, fun and animal-friendly weekend. Special thanks for the Florida office of Defenders of Wildlife for organizing and sponsoring the event to Protect People, Pets, Livestock and the federally endangered Florida Panthers!

For more information on protecting pets and livestock, or how to build a lion-proof pen, visit MountainLion.org.

Dr. “Tom’s” Lawsuit

In June 2009, South Dakota Division of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) commissioner Tim Kessler proposed, without opposition from the other commissioners, but against the recommendation of the SDGFP, to raise the female cougar hunting quota to nearly double the previous year’s. He went on to say that he wanted to manage for reduction, not status quo or sustainability. He said that reduction [of cougars] was necessary to save poor kids and poor hunters from attacks (there have been no documented cougar attacks in the Black Hills), and that without a reduction in the cougar population, hunters will have nothing [deer & other game] to shoot. (No scientific data exists demonstrating that cougars are reducing the number of deer available to hunters.)

After failing in his efforts to find the reasons for the commissioners’ decision to reduce the Black Hills population, Dr. Tom Huhnerkoch of Mountain Cats Trust began to investigate Commissioner Kessler himself because he had been the only commissioner actually recommending the reduction of cougar numbers. Kessler was a dynamic figure who appeared to have great influence on the other commissioners, and Dr. “Tom” knew he’d been a commissioner for a long time. He went on to discover that Kessler had been a commissioner for 17 years, although the term limit for game commissioners in South Dakota is only eight years. Dr. Huhnerkoch filed suit reasoning that if the court determined that Kessler’s 17-year term as a commissioner was illegal, then possibly the commission’s decisions on cougar management might also be declared invalid.

The following is a Rapid City Journal news story reporting on Dr. Tom Huhnerkoch’s lawsuit.

GF&P commissioner who faced term-limit suit resigns

Rapid City Journal staff | Posted: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 5:15 pm

An Aberdeen man who has served on the state Game, Fish & Parks Commission has resigned after being sued by a frequent critic of the board.

Tim Kessler of Aberdeen first began serving on the GF&P board in 1992 and served under three governors.

“Tim has served with honor and has always come down in favor of what’s best for the state’s natural resources,” Gov. Mike Rounds said in a news release. “Now I have the task of finding a replacement. I need another Tim Kessler, but they are far and few between.”

Last month, Lead veterinarian Tom Huhnerkoch filed a lawsuit claiming Kessler should be removed from the commission because he served longer than the eight years allowed by state law.

Kessler joined the commission in 1992. He was off from January 2004 until he was appointed again in April 2005. Rounds appointed Kessler to a new four-year term last year.

When Huhnerkoch filed the lawsuit, he said he wanted to see whether the eight-year term limit had been exceeded, but also admitted he believed that Kessler had made poor decisions as a commissioner.

“The reason he’s got to go is he’s made some bad decisions, in my mind,” said Huhnerkoch, who took particular umbrage with Kessler’s push to increase the hunting kill limit on mountain lions in the Black Hills. Huhnerkoch has been a persistent opponent of the annual hunting season on cougars.

Kessler said that although he believes he wasn’t breaking term limits, he was stepping down from his post to avoid being a distraction to the commission.

“I know your lawyer reviewed my eligibility when you insisted I accept the appointment, and believe we could win the lawsuit,” he said in his resignation letter to Rounds. “Lawsuits take time and money, and rather than have this lawsuit become a distraction from the Commission’s business, I want to step down and let you appoint another person in my place.”

Dr. Tom Huhnerkoch and the Mountain Cats Trust

Dr. Huhnerkoch is the founder of the one-man charitable 501 (c) (3) organization, Mountain Cats Trust – http://sites.google.com/site/mountaincatstrust/mountaincatstrust . He would appreciate donations to help him in his work to ensure that a healthy population of cougars survives in the Black Hills and elsewhere in South Dakota. If possible, he would like the sport hunting of cougars to end. “Dr. Tom,” now retired, is a DVM who specialized in cats and is also an RN. He lives in Lead at the northern edge of the Black Hills of South Dakota and has been an active cougar supporter in the state since 1999 where he has made so many requests for data on cougar management that the South Dakota Division of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) now restricts him to one query per year.

To support Dr. Tom’s work, send a check made out to Dr. Tom Huhnerkoch, 21315 Engelwood Rd., Lead, SD 57754 (605) 584-1958; ccats@mato.com