title: Hunting as a management tool? Cougar-human conflict is positively related to trophy hunting.
abstract: Overexploitation and persecution of large carnivores resulting from conflict with humans comprise major causes of declines worldwide. Although little is known about the interplay between these mortality types, hunting of predators remains a common management strategy aimed at reducing predator-human conflict. Emerging theory and data, however, caution that such policy can alter the age structure of populations, triggering increased conflict in which conflict-prone juveniles are involved.
  
  
  
  Using a 30-year dataset on human-caused cougar (Puma concolor) kills in British Columbia (BC), Canada, we examined relationships between hunter-caused and conflict-associated mortality. Individuals that were killed via conflict with humans were younger than hunted cougars. Accounting for human density and habitat productivity, human hunting pressure during or before the year of conflict comprised the most important variables. Both were associated with increased male cougar-human conflict. Moreover, in each of five regions assessed, conflict was higher with increased human hunting pressure for at least one cougar sex.
  
  
  
  Although only providing correlative evidence, such patterns over large geographic and temporal scales suggest that alternative approaches to conflict mitigation might yield more effective outcomes for humans as well as cougar populations and the individuals within populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 3060, STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 3R4, Canada. kristine.teichman@ubc.ca.|Biology Department, University of British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada. kristine.teichman@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Kristine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Teichman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cristescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 3060, STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 3R4, Canada.|Raincoast Conservation Foundation, P.O. Box 77, Bella Bella, BC, V0T 1B0, Canada.|Hakai Institute, P.O. Box 309, Heriot Bay, BC, V0P 1H0, Canada.
authors.forename: Chris T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Darimont
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods; D017753:Ecosystem; D006802:Human Activities; D006801:Humans; D011155:Population Control / Q000379:methods; D011157:Population Dynamics; D046011:Puma / Q000254:growth & development*
keywords: British Columbia; Mountain lion; Predator-human coexistence; Puma; Puma concolor; Skull size; Trophy hunting; Wildlife