Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

The mountain lion has long been considered a serious predator on domestic livestock, primarily sheep, in the state of Nevada. For the past five years (FY77-81), documented losses to lions have averaged 375 animals. While this number is not large, most losses are sustained by only a few individual livestock operators, and the losses constitute a serious economic hardship for these individuals. An average of 23 lions have been taken in response to livestock depredation complaints during each of these five years. Controlling livestock loss to mountain lions is the responsibility of the Animal Damage Control branch of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ADC personnel work in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nevada Predatory Animal & Rodent Control Committee and livestock producers in an effort to keep both livestock losses and the number of lions taken on depredation complaints at an acceptable level.