JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — New research has debunked some theories as to why mountain lions in northwest Wyoming seem to be eschewing their normal solitary habits.

Theories included that the lions were associating with their siblings or parents.

But recent research by the Teton Cougar Project determined that theory to be wrong. Its results were recently published in the academic journal Acta Ethologica.

Project team leader Mark Elbroch says the research found that interactions among lions together most often occur between the least-related lions.

Elbroch tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide (http://bit.ly/WMolfx) that more research is being done to see what the cats are doing when they are together.

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