Seasonal Resource Use among Mountain Lions, Bobcats, and Coyotes

Use of prey, and topographic and habitat features by mountain lions (Felis concolor), bobcats (Lynx rufus), and coyotes (Canis latrans) in central Idaho was investigated to determine how syntopic carnivores coexist where resource use may overlap. There were significant differences in use of elevation, forest types, terrain, overstory density, and exposure by these predators during summer. Despite morphological and behavioral differences permitting these predators to partition resources, resource use overlapped during winter when snow confined prey and predators to lower elevations. Overlap in their diets was significant during winter resulting in mountain lions killing bobcats and coyotes while defending or usurping food caches.