Here are a few of the top stories on mountain lions from recent news articles. For more frequent updates, visit MountainLion.org and read the news daily.
Santa Monica Lions Hanging in There
With the majority of California's mountain lion habitat lying in the northern half of the state, southern California researchers are especially interested in understanding how lions survive in the small patches of undeveloped land around the Los Angeles area. The Santa Monica Mountain range is a prime example of a dozen or so lions isolated on a mountain top and competing with each other - sometimes to the death - for habitat space. Learning to coexist with lions and keeping pets and livestock protected are important parts of daily life for residents in these areas. MLF-promoted responsible animal husbandry techniques as well as studies being conducted by the National Park Service are both helping mountain lions in this region.
Napa, Calif. Sentence for Mountain Lion Poachers who Orphaned Cubs
A year ago, many newspapers printed the story of two injured and orphaned lion cubs being taken in by Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue (article, video). The full story of what happened to the cubs' mother and how the two sustained serious injuries was not revealed to the public due to an ongoing investigation and court case. However, the case is now closed and more information is available. The mother lion was shot and killed by poachers who then harassed and injured two of her cubs. The male cub, known as Kuma, had to have one of his front paws amputated because of the damage. The men all pled "no contest" and will pay $5,000 to $10,000 each in restitution to cover the cost of vet bills for the cubs. And a 45-day work sentence is being carried out at SC Wildlife Rescue where the men are building a new bobcat enclosure.
California's San Francisco Bay Area is home to more than 7 million people. It is also home to mountain lions. Between the tall buildings, along the edges of freeway mazes, in county parks and the creeks that connect them, lions somehow manage to survive on the urban edge. Utilizing the undeveloped open spaces and keen ability to find deer, these lions avoid people and remain virtually undetected. Maintaining their habitat and the corridors that connect wild spaces is crucial to their long term survival. Mountain lion researchers in Santa Cruz are beginning to expand their study and collar lions in the northern and eastern parts of the bay area. They hope to better understand the lions in this region and how they coexist while rarely ever being seen.
In the western United States, if a mountain lion (also called cougar, panther, or puma) preys on pets or livestock, the owner can have the cat killed in a hopeful (and often naive) attempt that the next mountain lion to occupy the area will not cause him trouble. But in Florida, where there may be fewer than 100 endangered Florida panthers left in the wild, each panther life is essential, and residents do not have the luxury of a depredation permit to seek revenge on a panther that threatens livestock. Local panther biologist Mark Lotz reminds Florida residents they must take on the responsibility of predator-proofing their enclosures and keeping domestic animals safe. Learning to coexist is a big step towards the long-term survival of the species. Predator-proof small livestock enclosure plans are available on the Mountain Lion Foundation's website at MountainLion.org.