Liberty Belle
Well-known member
....because mountain lions are eating the imported goats!
Surprise, surprise!!!
Black Hills goat population declines
GF&P suspects mountain lions are to blame
By Ryan Woodard
November 30, 2007
Mountain lions are at least partially responsible for the decline in the Black Hills mountain goat population over recent years, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, & Parks officials said, but more research is needed before officials take further action.
"We suspected mountain lions just because we know they've increased pretty dramatically in the past seven years here," GF&P regional wildlife manager John Kanta said. "We had a good suspicion that that predation may have increased, but we didn't know for sure. It's safe to say that it is a factor."
The GF&P did two transplants in late 2006 in an attempt to supplant the Hills' dwindling goat population, which has gone from between 300 and 400 at one time to the current population of between 80 and 100.
Eighteen goats were brought in from Leadville, Colo., during the transplants, and 16 of those were radio collared.
Four of those goats were killed by mountain lions, according to GF&P resource biologist John Broacher.
Kanta said it is difficult to tell if the four kills of the Colorado goats happened as a part of a larger trend or if the goats were easy prey because they were unfamiliar with their new surroundings.
Wildlife division director Tony Leif agreed that lions may be a factor, especially because the timeline of the goat decrease has coincided with the lion population increase. But he said the GF&P will continue to study the matter before concluding that lions are the sole reason.
"Before we can draw that conclusion, I think we need to have a little bit more information in hand with our research," he said.
That will come with getting more collars on native goats and increasing the sample size, he said.
Kanta said the GF&P is working to figure out just how much of a factor mountain lions are in the goats' demise, in addition to examining other factors such as disease, human invasion into the wild and loss of habitat.
But the mountain lion predation is the only factor the GF&P has really confirmed as a cause for the decline. The idea that lions could eventually eliminate the goat population -- considering the steadily increasing lion population and need for food -- concerns Kanta.
"It's certainly reasonable to think that these lions could really have a big impact on this population," he said. "They could drive it down to almost nothing, I would think."
At this point, the GF&P isn't planning on doing more goat transplants, but Leif wouldn't rule it out if research indicates it would help.
If it is determined that the cougars are indeed the sole reason for the goat decline, GF&P officials may have to make a decision regarding which species they would prefer to manage.
Leif said there is not a very good chance that the GF&P would be willing to take down the lion population using tactics more aggressive than the current hunting season to protect the goats.
"It's unlikely because I believe we have a very strong contingent of individuals that are very supportive of mountain lion management," he said.
But those decisions haven't had to be made yet because the GF&P isn't sure how much impact the lion season is having on the mountain goats, Leif said.
Out of the 18 transplanted goats, the GF&P is only certain that six are alive, Broacher said.
Nine of the animals were killed: four by mountain lions; one is suspected to have drowned; three died from unknown causes; and one goat was found dead with a cracked skull, Broacher said.
One of the goats wandered out of the Black Hills, and another's collar is missing, which means that either the goat has died or the collar is malfunctioning.
Kanta said such high mortality while doing a wildlife transplant it isn't uncommon. Although he had hoped that the mortality would have been lower, he said one goal was to increase genetic diversity in the herd, which had gotten thin over the years.
Kanta said the surviving transplanted goats will improve diversity and should help boost the population.
"The indication is that those goats that we brought in will have an opportunity to breed with some of the native goats and get some of that blood in here," he said.
The continuing research will be vital as the GF&P attempts to find out what's going on with the goats.
"Right now, I'm concerned," Kanta said. "I have a bad feeling that they're going downhill, and if we don't find some answers fast and start working to remedy the situation, we could lose mountain goats in South Dakota."
Contact Ryan Woodard at 394-8412 or [email protected].
http://rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/top/doc474e55d880d40985226712.txt
Surprise, surprise!!!
Black Hills goat population declines
GF&P suspects mountain lions are to blame
By Ryan Woodard
November 30, 2007
Mountain lions are at least partially responsible for the decline in the Black Hills mountain goat population over recent years, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, & Parks officials said, but more research is needed before officials take further action.
"We suspected mountain lions just because we know they've increased pretty dramatically in the past seven years here," GF&P regional wildlife manager John Kanta said. "We had a good suspicion that that predation may have increased, but we didn't know for sure. It's safe to say that it is a factor."
The GF&P did two transplants in late 2006 in an attempt to supplant the Hills' dwindling goat population, which has gone from between 300 and 400 at one time to the current population of between 80 and 100.
Eighteen goats were brought in from Leadville, Colo., during the transplants, and 16 of those were radio collared.
Four of those goats were killed by mountain lions, according to GF&P resource biologist John Broacher.
Kanta said it is difficult to tell if the four kills of the Colorado goats happened as a part of a larger trend or if the goats were easy prey because they were unfamiliar with their new surroundings.
Wildlife division director Tony Leif agreed that lions may be a factor, especially because the timeline of the goat decrease has coincided with the lion population increase. But he said the GF&P will continue to study the matter before concluding that lions are the sole reason.
"Before we can draw that conclusion, I think we need to have a little bit more information in hand with our research," he said.
That will come with getting more collars on native goats and increasing the sample size, he said.
Kanta said the GF&P is working to figure out just how much of a factor mountain lions are in the goats' demise, in addition to examining other factors such as disease, human invasion into the wild and loss of habitat.
But the mountain lion predation is the only factor the GF&P has really confirmed as a cause for the decline. The idea that lions could eventually eliminate the goat population -- considering the steadily increasing lion population and need for food -- concerns Kanta.
"It's certainly reasonable to think that these lions could really have a big impact on this population," he said. "They could drive it down to almost nothing, I would think."
At this point, the GF&P isn't planning on doing more goat transplants, but Leif wouldn't rule it out if research indicates it would help.
If it is determined that the cougars are indeed the sole reason for the goat decline, GF&P officials may have to make a decision regarding which species they would prefer to manage.
Leif said there is not a very good chance that the GF&P would be willing to take down the lion population using tactics more aggressive than the current hunting season to protect the goats.
"It's unlikely because I believe we have a very strong contingent of individuals that are very supportive of mountain lion management," he said.
But those decisions haven't had to be made yet because the GF&P isn't sure how much impact the lion season is having on the mountain goats, Leif said.
Out of the 18 transplanted goats, the GF&P is only certain that six are alive, Broacher said.
Nine of the animals were killed: four by mountain lions; one is suspected to have drowned; three died from unknown causes; and one goat was found dead with a cracked skull, Broacher said.
One of the goats wandered out of the Black Hills, and another's collar is missing, which means that either the goat has died or the collar is malfunctioning.
Kanta said such high mortality while doing a wildlife transplant it isn't uncommon. Although he had hoped that the mortality would have been lower, he said one goal was to increase genetic diversity in the herd, which had gotten thin over the years.
Kanta said the surviving transplanted goats will improve diversity and should help boost the population.
"The indication is that those goats that we brought in will have an opportunity to breed with some of the native goats and get some of that blood in here," he said.
The continuing research will be vital as the GF&P attempts to find out what's going on with the goats.
"Right now, I'm concerned," Kanta said. "I have a bad feeling that they're going downhill, and if we don't find some answers fast and start working to remedy the situation, we could lose mountain goats in South Dakota."
Contact Ryan Woodard at 394-8412 or [email protected].
http://rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/11/30/news/top/doc474e55d880d40985226712.txt
