вЂњI think mountain lion populations have been sustaining themselves for decades in South and West Texas, so they have been tolerating existing levels of harvest,вЂќ Tewes said. вЂњThey are difficult to census, being nocturnal, sensitive, wide ranging, and by nature a low density species.вЂќ Still, he and other experts believe Texas lion numbers are stable, at least in some areas. вЂњWe donвЂ™t have an accurate population estimate for mountain lions in Texas,вЂќ Tewes acknowledges. For 25 years, heвЂ™s been supervising and reviewing research on mountain lions, ocelots and other wild cats.

Michael Tewes, PhD, a faculty advisor at A&M-Kingsville for the genetics study, is one of the elder statesmen of wild cat research in North America. This prompts occasional questions about whether the current regulatory approach is sustaining healthy lion populations in the state. The South Texas genetic diversity was lower, but not so much that you would see inbreeding effects.вЂќД¬ougars are currently classified as nongame animals in Texas and may be taken by anyone who possesses a valid hunting license, with no season or bag limits. вЂњAt least in West Texas, genetic diversity was similar to other mountain lion populations in other western states and contiguous states. вЂњOur research shows that Texas mountain lions are not likely subject to negative fitness effects associated with low genetic diversity,вЂќ Janecka said. Janecka says the value of genetic diversity is a bit of a contentious topic, but what research shows is when a population becomes isolated and animals start inbreeding and the genetic diversity decreases, researchers have documented effects such as lower survival rates of juveniles, low body weights, decreased disease resistance and other problems. Janecka makes a key point: вЂњTypically, effective populations are smaller than census populations.вЂќДЄnother key finding involves the genetic health or diversity of Texas lions. вЂњAnother way to state this is the genetic effective population reflects the effect a breeding population has on an animal populationвЂ™s genetic diversity and structure.вЂќ вЂњAn effective population represents, from a genetic standpoint, the population size that would behave genetically like the actual or census population,вЂќ Janecka said. It represents hundreds of generations of lions over recent evolutionary history, and there is no correlation between this type of long-term estimate and the current census population of lions in Texas. As author Janecka explains, this genetic вЂњeffective populationвЂќ is not the same as the actual or census population. One study finding that has been misunderstood by some and needs careful clarification is that the long-term effective population size for mountain lions in Texas was estimated to be 5,607 animals. Researchers also concluded that a lack of connection between lions in West and South Texas indicates dissimilar populations in those areas. Scientists found evidence that there is likely a core mountain lion population in and around Big Bend National Park. Although all the lion samples came from Texas, scientists say the genetic traits likely reflect a region that encompasses parts of northern Mexico and southern New Mexico as well. Researchers examined the genetic structure of mountain lions from six areas of Texas, conducting DNA analysis of tissue samples from 89 lions. TPWD funded the study, which was done by the Feline Research Center of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Mammalogist John Young is a co-author, along with Michael Tewes, Lon Grassman, Jr., Jacob Garza, and Rodney Honeycutt.

The primary author is Jan Janecka, Ph.D., a post-doctoral research associate at Texas A&M University-College Station.

The research paper вЂњGenetic structure of mountain lion ( Puma concolor) populations in Texas and implications for managementвЂќ was largely completed in 2006 and is now being prepared for publication in scientific journals. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.ДЄUSTIN, Texas - New genetic research adds to a body of evidence indicating mountain lion populations are generally healthy in parts of Texas, with significant populations in West and South Texas and harvest data pointing to stable or increasing numbers in the western part of the state over the past 90 years. Note: This item is more than 14 years old. 17, 2007 Tom Harvey, 51, Image Share on Facebook Share Release URL News & Media гЂ‰ News Releases Mountain Lion Research Sheds Light on Elusive Feline Sept.