Controversy Over Hunting Mountain Lions

Thank you for your editorial against Proposition 197 (March 13), which would allow trophy hunting of mountain lions to resume.

It should also be mentioned that nothing is known about the genetic diversity of the current mountain lion population in California. As pockets of lion populations are becoming increasingly isolated from one another due to human encroachment, their genetic diversity is diminishing. Randomly killing lions without knowing which ones are most essential to a healthy population, as would occur if trophy hunting were allowed, would be ecologically disastrous.

AUDRA LEMBERTAS

Malibu

* As a resident for almost 30 years in neighborhoods where cougars occasionally strolled on our property, I’d like to add a couple of points about the animal that are extremely important to the survival of both man and cat.

Cougars are naturally very reclusive. They are cats, and as such are cautious of humans. Only young or sick cats are (rarely) overtly aggressive to humans. In all the years they lived on my property in West L.A. and in Malibu, I actually only saw one once. When neighbors spotted them, the cats slinked away.

It is the nature of cats to chase any living thing that is their size or smaller that moves. Therefore, one does not run, hike, bike or explore the wilderness alone. The two people who were killed recently were alone and apparently jogging.

DELORIS ST. JOHN

Dana Point

* It should be pointed out that because of Proposition 117, passed in 1990, the deer herds in California are a disaster due to the overpopulation of the mountain lion. The lions have no enemies to control their numbers. I do not see the animal rights people objecting to this problem.

The deer may upon occasion get in my rose garden but they never, ever attack me. Let’s hear it for the deer. They are the principal food of the mountain lions.

J. PATRICK KIDD

San Dimas

* A little over a year ago, my wife and 10-year-old child were stalked by two cougars on our property in Mariposa County. There had never been a large cat in our family compound before. Now the place is unsafe. The Mariposa County Board of Supervisors voted to endorse Proposition 197. These are not bloodthirsty “trophy-hunting” types. These are rural citizens, who have their lives and livelihoods threatened by territorial carnivores.

LES TREJO

Temple City