Conservation of mountain carnivores: sharing the mountains with fierce creatures

Abstract: Most mammalian carnivores that live in the mountains can be placed in four groups based on shared habitat sensitivities: (1) large carnivores that are commonly killed by humans as a threat to safety or property; (2) medium-sized carnivores that are strongly affected by changes in habitat structure, typically caused by forest disturbance and succession; (3) small to medium-sized carnivores that are dependent on aquatic resources; and (4) small to medium-sized carnivores that are highly fecund and feed on invertebrates and rodents. Humans often threaten the persistence of species belonging to the first three groups. Roads, numbers of people, timber harvest, fire control, trapping, agriculture, and predator control have the greatest aggregate impacts on mountain-dwelling carnivores. Aggressive production of domestic livestock can create a syndrome that is particularly destructive. Animals such as grizzly bears and wolverines, wide-ranging and slow to reproduce, are typically the most vulnerable. Remnant carnivore populations are commonly associated with mountains because mountainous areas are often relatively unused by humans and are also often wetter and more productive. However, mountainous topography can complicate conservation efforts. The best habitat for carnivores is typically concentrated in attenuated patches at low elevations, in the same places where humans are most active. Roads in such places can be especially problematic. High-speed traffic is a major direct cause of death and population fragmentation. Many impacts of humans on carnivores can be mitigated or reversed by changes in human perspectives and practices. There is ample evidence for the importance of per capita human lethality in determining the fates of carnivore populations.