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Show - - , " Photo Tikon By Stv Syddall Mountain Lions Like This One Are Rarely Seen But Roam Free In The High Mountains Of Garfield County 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 v 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 docs. 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 from 16 to 19 months and remain with their mother until they leave to search or 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 as a rule, but may go as long as four without bearing cubs. |