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Show Secretive Mountain Lion Lives In Bryce Country The tawny-colored mountain lion, also known as a cougar, is very secretive and generally travels alone. Ranging through remote areas ar-eas of Bryce Canyon Country, the powerful and graceful animal has been the subject of an intense study to determine its habits. Mule deer have been found to be the cougar's major food source, with bucks, older does and fawns being killed more frequently than prime-age does. Other prey includes badgers, coyotes, rabbits, foxes, elk, marmots and a few birds. Cougars range remarkably long distances in search of food with females fe-males ranging as far as 265 miles and males 320. Ranges in the Garfield County area are anywhere from five to 25 larger than cougar home ranges in other parts of the U.S. For the purposes of the study, cougars are fitted with radio collars while under the effects of a harmless harm-less anesthetic. The radio transmitter, transmit-ter, which is motion sensitive, transmits signal from which wildlife specialists can determine whether the animal is sleeping, walking or running. They are tracked on foot and on horseback and also from the air. Cougar cubs mature Ipm K p 19 months and remain with their mother until they leave to search for a range of their own. Female cougars begin to bear young when they are from two to three years old and may bear from one to three cubs, averaging two. They bear every ev-ery two years asa rule, but may go as long as four without bearing cubs. With the exception of perishable artifacts such as sandals, baskets, mats and other wood and vegetable materials, the artifacts displayed in the museum are those actually excavated ex-cavated at the site. Visitors touring the site can see how the ancient inhabitants of the village actually lived. Supt. Larry Davis and his assistant Dee Hardy, both trained archaeologists, can make the visitor's stay a special experience with an introduction to the ancient peoples of the area. The park, which has several picnic pic-nic sites but no overnight camping, is located in Boulder, about 30 miles northeast of Escalante over . C nran'e mncl U-12 witn some ui uic oiw spectacular scenery along the way. Boulder is also the last town before be-fore the traveler heads southeast over the Burr Trail to parts of Capitol Reef National Park and popular Lake Powell. It is also the last town before U-12 U-12 heads northward over 9,200-foot Boulder Mountain, a 30-mile newly paved highway with wide curves, incredible scenery and extraordinary vistas. The highway junctions with U-24 at Grover, and it is only four miles to Capitol Reefs headquarters from there. Inquiries should be made in wintertime win-tertime at Anasazi or with the sheriffs sher-iffs office in Panguitch before starting over Boulder Mountain or the Burr trail. Every effort is made to keep both open, but occasional closures occur during snowstorms or with snow buildup. |