Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: New Mexico
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

New Mexico Project


Estimation of mountain lion density in New Mexico

October 2015 - June 2020


Personnel

Participating Agencies

  • New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

The goal of this study is to provide relevant population and density data for mountain lions in New Mexico that will contribute to the management plans developed by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. The objectives of this study are to: 1) estimate mountain lion abundance and density in replicated survey areas across New Mexico to provide additional data for deriving harvest limits; 2) compare data-derived density estimates to those used in the habitat model currently employed by NMDGF to develop harvest limits; and 3) test a remote camera-based method for estimating mountain lion abundance and density in the absence of marked individuals.