Biologists, Tracker, Hounds on the Trail : Study to Collar Some Cougar Data

A professional tracker with seven hounds and state Department of Fish and Game personnel were preparing Friday for what may be a two-year study of the mountain lion population in up to 10,000 acres of wild lands, mostly in southern Orange County.

“During that time, we hope to capture and put radio-transmitter collars on as many as 10 cats to help us determine the population and movements of the animals,” said Tom Paulek, a Fish and Game wildlife biologist.

Two cougars already have been collared and are being tracked, he said.

The study area will cover Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park east of San Juan Capistrano and O’Neill Regional Park, both county-owned; the private community of Coto de Caza; the Audubon Starr Ranch nature preserve; Rancho Mission Viejo, and portions of Cleveland National Forest in the Santa Ana Mountains, in both Orange and San Diego counties.

The $154,000 program was approved earlier this month by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Last year, cougars attacked and injured two children at Caspers Park, and there have been numerous sightings and close encounters with lions at O’Neill Park.

Paulek said it might take several days for the tracker, Dave Fjelline, 37, of Sacramento and assistants to study the terrain and obtain keys to gates on private property. The tracking, he said, probably will start early next week.

A statement issued by Fish and Game said that “increasing concerns related to mountain lion interactions with humans and the impact of expanding urban development into mountain lion habitat in southern Orange County justify intensive investigation of the mountain lion population.”

Specifically, the statement said, the cougars’ relative density, home ranges and activity patterns will be prime targets of the study.

Search for Fresh Signs

Fjelline said his dogs will be driven by truck over backcountry trails and roads until relatively fresh signs of a mountain lion--such as tracks or the remains of a kill--are sighted.

Then the dogs will be released to trail and tree the lion. Tranquilizer darts will be used to bring it to earth for examination and attachment of a collar with a small radio transmitter that will allow it to be tracked from an aircraft or land vehicle.

Doug Padley of Pasadena, working under a contract with the county, presently is tracking two cougars captured and collared earlier this year. He said he would work with the new study team to assure that they don’t recapture the same cats.