Molecular tracking of mountain lions in the Yosemite Valley region in California: genetic analysis using microsatellites and faecal DNA

Twelve microsatellite loci were characterized in California mountain lions (Puma concolor) and sufficient polymorphism was found to uniquely genotype 62 animals sampled at necropsy. Microsatellite genotypes obtained using mou ntain lion faecal DNA matched those from muscle for all of 15 individuals e xamined. DNA from potential prey species and animals whose faeces could be misidentified as mountain lion faeces were reliably distinguished from moun tain lions using this microsatellite panel. In a field application of this technique, 32 faecal samples were collected from hiking trails in the Yosem ite Valley region where seven mountain lions previously had been captured, sampled, and released. Twelve samples yielded characteristic mountain lion genotypes, three displayed bobcat-type genotypes, and 17 did not amplify. T he genotype of one of the 12 mountain lion faecal samples was identical to one of the mountain lions that previously had been captured. Three of the 1 2 faecal samples yielded identical genotypes, and eight new genotypes were detected in the remaining samples. This analysis provided a minimum estimat e of 16 mountain lions (seven identified by capture and nine identified by faecal DNA) living in or travelling through Yosemite Valley from March 1997 to August 1998. Match probabilities (probabilities that identical DNA geno types would be drawn at random a second time from the population) indicated that the samples with identical genotypes probably came from the same moun tain lion. Our results demonstrate that faecal DNA analysis is an effective method for detecting and identifying individual mountain lions.