Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is developing a statewide management plan for mountain lions and is seeking the public's help identifying issues of concern.
FWP's last statewide look at mountain lion management was completed about 20 years ago. The updated plan will summarize the latest science and monitoring data, describe conservation and harvest strategies, and compile policies in a single document.
"Management plans provide guidance to wildlife biologists and Fish and Wildlife Commissioners and they provide the public information on how and why specific decisions are made," said Jay Kolbe, FWP's wildlife biologist tasked with updating Montana's mountain lion management plan.
Anyone with an interest in how Montana manages mountain lions can provide information and comment online by visiting FWP's website at fwp.mt.gov; then click Mountain Lion Plan. The deadline to comment is July 22 at 5 p.m.
"Mountain lion research and population monitoring techniques have come a long way over the past 20 years," Kolbe said. "Today we're better equipped to build a plan that will help conserve healthy lion populations while ensuring continued public hunting opportunities for both lions and their prey."
For more information, call Kolbe at 406-499-2356 or contact him via e-mail at [email protected].
FWP expects to have a draft mountain lion management plan ready for public review by the end of the year.
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