Research

The CKWRI Feline Research Program, led by Dr. Michael Tewes (Regents Professor and Frank Daniel Yturria Endowed Chair for Wild Cat Studies) and Dr. Lisanne Petracca (Assistant Professor of Carnivore Ecology), has pursued a diversity of research projects. Of primary interest is understanding the population status of ocelots to inform effective management strategies.

Focal areas for ocelot research currently include (1) assessing the abundance of ocelots in South Texas using remote cameras and noninvasive genetic sampling; (2) identifying the sources of mortality for ocelots, particularly vehicle collisions; (3) modeling ocelot population parameters such as survival, reproduction, and abundance to predict current and future population trajectories; and (4) using genomics to better understand ocelot population structure and levels of inbreeding in South Texas. We are also pursuing questions related to dietary niche, disease, and drought.  

Mountain lion work began with the establishment of the South Texas Lion Project in 2023. Led by Dr. Lisanne Petracca, the goal of this project is to determine whether the border barrier system at the U.S-Mexico border is affecting mountain lion movements and population persistence. 

Bobcat ecology is another important area of cat research in Texas. Research currently includes the effects of drought on bobcat ecology, the impacts of roads and vehicle traffic on bobcat habitat use, determinants of bobcat kitten survival and den site selection, and an exploration of interspecific competition between bobcats and ocelots.