Puma concolor GPS Telemetry and Path Identification Index (2003-2013), Southwest Region, USA
Data for journal manuscript: Quantifying animal movement for caching foragers: the path identification index (PII) and cougars, Puma concolor
Dates
Publication Date
2019-06-26
Start Date
2003
End Date
2013
Citation
Ironside, K.E., 2019, Puma concolor GPS Telemetry and Path Identification Index (2003-2013), Southwest Region, USA: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9A93HRF.
Summary
Capture, GPS-collar tagging, and release of cougars was conducted in northern Arizona and southern Utah and Nevada, USA, from 2003 to 2013 by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service (Northern Arizona University IACUC Protocol # 02-082-R4), resulting in GPS-tracking and monitoring of study animal activities. This data set includes six individuals that met three criteria: 1) few missing data (≥ 85% fix success rate), 2) long periods of continuous monitoring, with a minimum of 1000 observations, and 3) established home range with no evidence of dispersal. It includes four females (C04, AS02, P26, and C07) and two males (Z04 and AS07), ranging in age from 1.5 – 4 years in age. Two females (C04 and AS02) denned during observation, [...]
Summary
Capture, GPS-collar tagging, and release of cougars was conducted in northern Arizona and southern Utah and Nevada, USA, from 2003 to 2013 by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service (Northern Arizona University IACUC Protocol # 02-082-R4), resulting in GPS-tracking and monitoring of study animal activities. This data set includes six individuals that met three criteria: 1) few missing data (≥ 85% fix success rate), 2) long periods of continuous monitoring, with a minimum of 1000 observations, and 3) established home range with no evidence of dispersal. It includes four females (C04, AS02, P26, and C07) and two males (Z04 and AS07), ranging in age from 1.5 – 4 years in age. Two females (C04 and AS02) denned during observation, and P26 was known from field observation to be accompanied by two sub-adult offspring. Cougars were fitted with Telonics (Mesa, AZ, USA) GEN3 or GEN4 GPS collars with the ARGOS satellite feature programmed to deliver GPS locations daily. Collars were programmed to acquire six locations a day, every four hours, resulting in two nocturnal locations at 9:00 pm and 1:00 am: two roughly crepuscular locations at 5:00 am and 5:00 pm and two diurnal locations at 9:00 am and 1:00 pm local time (Mountain Standard Time). The GPS fix-acquisition window was set to 3 minutes, allowing a battery life of approximately 12-14 months, after which we programmed automatic releases to drop collars. We recovered the collars for the six study animals and downloaded GPS data directly, replacing the ARGOS transmitted data. Collars did not include activity sensors. Field investigations of GPS locations were conducted to document cougar prey items and activities.
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Related External Resources
Type: Related Primary Publication
Ironside, K. E., Mattson, D. J., Theimer, T., Jansen, B., Holton, B., Arundel, T., … Edwards, T. C. (2017). Quantifying animal movement for caching foragers: the path identification index (PII) and cougars, Puma concolor. Movement Ecology, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-017-0115-z
Terrestrial large mammal studies utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) telemetry data can be difficult to interpret. We developed a method of quantifying animal movement from these repeat observations using four movement metrics and a partial sums index. We smoothed the index using a centered moving average where the temporal window size was determined from the mean temporal auto correlation found in the index (15 observations). The smoothed index was classified as directed, search, and cache types of movements. Field data collected at locations were compared to the classification system to evaluate the Path Identification Index's (PII) usefulness in identifying study animal activities based on their movement patterns.
Rights
The author of these data request that data users contact them regarding intended use and to assist with understanding limitations and interpretation. Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data for other purposes, nor on all computer systems, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
