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Mountain lions prey selectively on prion-infected mule deer
Caroline E Krumm1, Mary M Conner, N Thompson Hobbs
1Colorado Division of Wildlife, Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO 80526-2097, USA.
Biology Letters
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Mountain lions (Puma concolor) actively select mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) infected with chronic wasting disease. This predator-prey study suggests selective hunting of diseased animals by mountain lions in Colorado.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Wildlife Biology
- Disease Ecology
Background:
- Predator prey selectivity is often hypothesized but rarely empirically tested.
- Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal prion disease affecting cervids like mule deer.
- Understanding predator-prey dynamics is crucial for wildlife management and disease transmission studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether mountain lions selectively prey on mule deer infected with Chronic Wasting Disease.
- To compare CWD prevalence in mule deer killed by mountain lions versus those taken by hunters.
Main Methods:
- Study conducted in the northern Front Range of Colorado, USA.
- Kill sites of mountain lions were identified.
- Prevalence of CWD in adult mule deer (> or =2 years old) killed by mountain lions was compared to hunter-killed deer in the same vicinity.
Main Results:
- Hunter-killed female deer had lower CWD prevalence than males.
- Both male and female mule deer killed by mountain lions showed significantly higher CWD prevalence compared to same-sex hunter-killed deer.
- Odds ratios indicated a strong likelihood of mountain lions selecting infected deer.
Conclusions:
- Mountain lions in this region appear to actively select prion-infected mule deer as prey.
- This selective predation may influence disease dynamics within the mule deer population.
- Findings provide empirical evidence for predator selectivity based on disease status.
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