• DOI:10.1046/J.1523-1739.1993.07010094.X
• Corpus ID: 55580710

Determining Minimum Habitat Areas and Habitat Corridors for Cougars

@article{Beier1993DeterminingMH,
  title={Determining Minimum Habitat Areas and Habitat Corridors for Cougars},
  author={Paul Beier},
  journal={Conservation Biology},
  year={1993},
  volume={7},
  pages={94-108}
}

• P. Beier
• Published 1 March 1993
• Geography
• Conservation Biology

I simulated population dynamics of cougars to predict tbe minimum areas and levels of immigration needed to avoid population extinction caused by demo- graphic and environmental stochasticity for a period of 100 years Under mostplausible parameter values, the modelpre- dicted vety low extinction risk in areas as small as 2200 km2, and (in the absence of immigration) increasing risk as area decreased below 2200 km2. If as few as one to four animals per decade could immigrate into a small popula- tion, the probability of population persistence increased markedly. Thus a corrmdor for immigration will benefit a small population in an area where further loss of habitat will occur. The model was applied to the cougar population in the Santa Ana Mountain Range of soutbern California (2070 km2, uwth about 20 adults). Field data support the model's conclusion that tbis population is demographically unsta- ble There will be a high risk of extinction if the babitat is reduced to currently protected and connected areas (1114