In September 2006, photographer Robert Hubner joined graduate students Hilary Cooley and Ben Maletzke on a trip to capture and collar a cougar kitten, with the help of students from the Cle Elum-Roslyn schools’ Project CAT.
Ben Maletzke helps student DJ Landes interpret the signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit. The signal, from the collar worn by a female cougar, tells them where the cougar’s den is. Six times a day, the GPS transmitter sends data on the cougar’s location to a satellite. The researchers can download the data at any time. When the GPS information shows that a female cougar has stayed put for longer than a few days, it usually means she has denned up to give birth.
Cooley and Maletzke retrieve the single kitten from its den under the rocks. The radio signal tells them where the cat is at that moment. Usually, a mother cougar vacates her den when humans approach and does not interfere with the biologists’ handling of her kittens; but the researchers want to know where she is before going in.
Cooley and the kitten get acquainted. Her crew names the kitten Shelby. Shelby’s mother, Jokam, and grandmother, Jane, are also part of the tracking study. They have been collared and followed by the WSU team for four years.
Not ready to make nice: Shelby puts on a brave show in his first encounter with humans.
Shelby watches and wonders. At this age, about seven weeks, he has blue eyes. They will turn golden in about another month.
Claws and attitude are standard equipment on a cougar.
Cooley tries to put Shelby into a sack so he can be weighed.
Ptptptpt!
Maletzke lifts the bagged kitten using a spring scale. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist and Program CAT originator Gary Koehler (left) records Shelby’s weight.
Maletzke checks the transmitter batteries on the collar that Shelby will wear. Cooley developed the expandable collar, which allows her to track the movements of very young cougars. Maletzke will recapture Shelby at about eight months of age to fit him with an adult-size collar.
Cooley puts the collar on Shelby, who is restrained by students DJ Landes (left) and Bernie Grimm.
Students Grimm and Landes, eye-to-eye with a wild cat.
Weighed, collared, and ear-tagged, Shelby is still defiant.
Cooley returns the kitten to his den. The mother will return soon after the human crew leaves the area.
