Mountain Lions, Wild Turkeys and Predator-Prey Dynamics

Mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther, catamount – these all refer to North America’s largest feline. A stalker in the shadows that was rarely seen, mountain lions are now making headlines more often with close encounters with humans, some close calls and some devastatingly tragic. For instance, the NWTF recently posted a video on its social media of an outdoorsman who had a harrowing encounter with a mountain lion.

NWTF’s current Idaho State Chapter President Joe Foster recently shared a video of a mother mountain lion and her cub taking their shot at a flock of wild turkeys, something you surely don’t see every day.

Patt Dorsey, NWTF director of conservation operations in the West, provides insight into mountain lions and their relationship with wild turkeys.

David Gladkowski: What do you think of the video? 

Patt Dorsey: Our state chapter president in Idaho is lucky to live in great wildlife habitat. Additionally, Joe has done a lot of work to make his property more attractive to wildlife and is a diehard wildlife photographer and hunter. Joe’s observations are in incredible and something that most people will never have the opportunity to see in their lifetime.

DG: Are mountain lions a common predator of wild turkeys where they roam? 

PD: Mountain lions aren't the first species I think about when I think about predators of wild turkeys. That said, I have walked into places to hunt wild turkeys and walked back out with lion tracks in my tracks. I assume that calling a big bird in the spring was the reason. Mountain lions are the world's largest "small cat." I think of them relative to their behavior as being oversized housecats. They are curious and opportunistic. A bunch of movement and calling would attract their attention if they were in the area. Their primary prey is mule deer, so in areas where turkey habitat overlaps deer habitat, a few are likely taken by lions. Unlike many other predators, mountain lions are obligate carnivores [also called hyper carnivores, which refers to carnivores that depend on the flesh of other animals for vital nutrients]. 

DG: Is predation, in general, a problem in the West? 

PD: Like everywhere, predators eat prey. In some cases, they can create some localized problems. Generally, they are not seen as a population-level problem. 

DG: Are there some species in the West that over-predate on wild turkeys and/or are invasive?

PD: Primary predators for adult turkeys in the West are bobcats. Predators of all sizes eat young chicks, and eggs can be predated by ravens, other corvids, snakes and skunks. I've even found turkey egg shells in black bear scat.

DG: More and more, we see close encounters with mountain lions; has this always been the case and more people now have access to filming it with cell phones, or are we expanding further into their territory? 

PD: It's a little of both. There are more people and more overlap between people and lions. Particularly with mule deer being a mountain lion's primary prey, many homes and recreation areas are in excellent mule deer habitat. And, in some cases, our yards provide a secure location for deer during certain times of the year and/or what I call "ice cream" plants. Our landscaping can be especially palatable for deer. I also think the advent and popularity of game cameras have allowed people to see these secretive creatures.  

DG: Are mountain lions becoming more prominent where they previously did not exist, and if so, why? 

PD: As mule deer and prey populations expand, mountain lion populations are also expanding. I have seen estimates that there are more mountain lions today than there were 100 years ago, partially because mountain lions have game-species status. There are rules about harvest, and prey populations have rebounded since the market hunting era. 

DG: From what I can tell, turkey populations in Idaho are doing just fine. Is predation necessarily a bad thing in this case? 

PD: Predation isn't an easy thing to appreciate. At some level, it keeps our wildlife populations healthy, strong and fit by selecting the weaker animals in the bunch. I also think predators help keep wildlife wild, which has real and inherent value. Predators can become a localized problem when the habitat isn't adequate to provide cover during certain times of the year when perhaps there isn't an abundance of prey on the ground or at times when wildlife is particularly vulnerable. We also discourage people from feeding or concentrating animals as that can concentrate predators and/or make the prey species unintentionally more vulnerable. 

DG: At what point does predation become a problem for overall population health?  

PD: Predator/prey population dynamics are complex. As predator populations increase, they can start to reduce prey populations at a larger scale. It's important to consider the whole population dynamic: Has the predator population grown, or does the habitat need some work? If the predator population has grown, why has it grown? The more we understand, the more we can do to keep predator and prey populations in balance. We can always do predator control, but without understanding the problem, that might only be a temporary solution.