Skip to main content
Duke University Libraries
DukeSpace Scholarship by Duke Authors
  • Login
  • Ask
  • Menu
  • Login
  • Ask a Librarian
  • Search & Find
  • Using the Library
  • Research Support
  • Course Support
  • Libraries
  • About
View Item 
  •   DukeSpace
  • Theses and Dissertations
  • Nicholas School of the Environment
  • View Item
  •   DukeSpace
  • Theses and Dissertations
  • Nicholas School of the Environment
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Habitat preference and use by the cougar (Puma concolor)

Thumbnail
View / Download
2.7 Mb
Date
2019-04-24
Author
Bischoff-Mattson, Sky
Advisor
Poulsen, John
Repository Usage Stats
251
views
200
downloads
Abstract
Cougars (Puma concolor) are widespread in the western US, penetrating even into the edges of inhabited and developed areas. Despite their widespread distribution, many aspects of their lives remain unquantified and poorly studied. To explain the factors that influence cougar behavior, I adapted methods used for the African Lion and field data and movement metrics from USGS to designate behavioral states of cougars to GPS locations. Fitting a Bayesian multinomial model, I explain cougar behavior based on vegetation and visibility- the amount of visible area at a point, accounting for the amount of daylight- as well as elevation and land cover. The model explains a third of the variation in the data, but considerable individual variation makes differentiating between behaviors difficult. Visibility likely plays a role in cougar behavior, but additional research is necessary to fully identify all the factors that drive cougar behavior.
Type
Master's project
Department
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences
Subject
cougar
behavior
animal movement
multinomial
lidar
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/18385
Citation
Bischoff-Mattson, Sky (2019). Habitat preference and use by the cougar (Puma concolor). Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/18385.
Collections
  • Nicholas School of the Environment
More Info
Show full item record
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Rights for Collection: Nicholas School of the Environment


Works are deposited here by their authors, and represent their research and opinions, not that of Duke University. Some materials and descriptions may include offensive content. More info

Make Your Work Available Here

How to Deposit

Browse

All of DukeSpaceCommunities & CollectionsAuthorsTitlesTypesBy Issue DateDepartmentsAffiliations of Duke Author(s)SubjectsBy Submit DateThis CollectionAuthorsTitlesTypesBy Issue DateDepartmentsAffiliations of Duke Author(s)SubjectsBy Submit Date

My Account

LoginRegister

Statistics

View Usage Statistics
Duke University Libraries

Contact Us

411 Chapel Drive
Durham, NC 27708
(919) 660-5870
Perkins Library Service Desk

Digital Repositories at Duke

  • Report a problem with the repositories
  • About digital repositories at Duke
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Deaccession and DMCA Takedown Policy

TwitterFacebookYouTubeFlickrInstagramBlogs

Sign Up for Our Newsletter
  • Re-use & Attribution / Privacy
  • Harmful Language Statement
  • Support the Libraries
Duke University