Spatial distribution of cougar (Puma Concolor) occurrences in Saskatchewan
Date
2025-03-20
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0009-0000-7877-7600
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
The cougar (Puma concolor) is a rare and elusive predator that was extirpated throughout much of eastern North America by the first half of the 1900s. In Saskatchewan, cougar populations were absent with sightings only incidental until the early 2000s. The recolonization event in the Cypress Upland ecoregion of southwest Saskatchewan (likely from Alberta or Montana) led to an apparent increase in observations throughout the province. Amid public concern over cougar activity in rural and even urban Saskatchewan, understanding the ecology of cougars has become increasingly important. This thesis was directed at developing a thorough understanding of the current state of knowledge for the species in Saskatchewan. Data used herein were from cougar occurrence reports (years ranging from 1942 to 2024) principally obtained from the public through an original survey campaign and records of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. In Chapter 2, I collated data and compared the validity of cougar occurrence reports expert knowledge. For Chapter 3, I formulated an a priori dataset from Chapter 2 results and analyzed these data to model habitat suitability and connectivity for the species. My results further integrate methodologies in obtaining and verifying data gathered from varied (including community-based) sources; and update predicted geographical range and population connectivity maps for cougars in Saskatchewan. In Chapter 4, I reviewed cougar-human conflicts in the literature to suggest conservation and management goals concomitant to achieving human coexistence with cougars. My work has relevance to conserving the species in Saskatchewan by affirming the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre’s provincial ranking of cougars through additional data. My maps may also serve to update maps of cougar distribution and abundance, e.g., for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s range map for the species.
Description
Keywords
Citizen Science, Cougar, False-positive Detection Bias, Habitat Suitability, Least-cost path, Population Distribution, Puma concolor, Resource Selection Function, Saskatchewan.
Citation
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Biology
Program
Biology