Great Basin Naturalist
Article Title
Abstract
We used radiotelemetry and searched with a trained hound to locate the dens of 3 recently parturient mountain lions (Felis concolor). These dens were located in dense riparian vegetation along the same stream in the bottom of a steep canyon. We monitored circadian temperatures of 2 dens at 1-h intervals and compared them to ambient temperatures recorded simultaneously. We found mountain lion dens to effectively moderate high ambient temperatures, but these dens failed to provide a thermal advantage at the lowest ambient temperatures recorded in this investigation. We conclude that mountain lion dens provide effective protection from thermal maxima for young, immobile kittens.
Recommended Citation
Bleich, Vernon C.; Pierce, Becky M.; Davis, Jeffrey L.; and Davis, Vicki L.
(1996)
"Thermal characteristics of montain lion dens,"
Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 56:
No.
3, Article 12.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol56/iss3/12