South Dakota GF&P Cougar Mortality Summary Data Released

South Dakota has a cougar population estimated at 200 individuals. During 2007, 67 cougar carcasses were recovered by the state (see below):

Causes:

SD GFP Removals - 8

Vehicle collisions - 6

Hunter harvest - 19

Intra-specific strife - 7

Infanticide -10

Research related - 3

Emaciated/sickness - 6

Incidental snaring - 1

Illegal kill - 1

Misc./other - 6

Over the past 48 months, 188 cougar carcasses have been recovered. 33 cougars have died over that time due to vehicle strikes alone.

2007 Mortalities  67

2006 Mortalities  56

2005 Mortalities  40

2004 Mortalities  25

Ongoing research in the Black Hills allows detection of natural mortalities such as infanticide, emaciation, intra-specific mortality etc. which occurs elsewhere but is rarely documented.