STRESS RESPONSE OF COUGARS TO NONLETHAL PURSUIT BY HUNTERS

Five cougars (Felis concolor) were captured and an adrenal response te st was administered by injecting synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone and monitoring plasma cortisol levels at 15-min intervals for 120 min . Three were selected for treatment and chased 5 or 6 more times to si mulate the stress they might experience during a pursuit-only season; the other two served as controls and were chased only once more, at re capture. The adrenal response test was administered again at recapture . The cougars in the treatment group had a lowered plasma cortisol pro file after the simulated pursuit season, indicating an altered physiol ogical response of the adrenals to the stress of repeated chases.