The mountain lion census shows thousands fewer than thought

By Ryan FonsecaStaff Writer

Jan. 8, 2024 6:30 AM PT

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Why California’s new mountain lion census matters

California’s mountain lions aren’t just good subjects for magazine photos. Researchers say they play a vital role as ecosystem engineers, because their kills provide a buffet for a range of other mammals, birds and insects, which then redistribute nutrients into soil, sustaining plants and small organisms (cue the “Circle of Life” song).

So the number of the big predatory cats can have a big effect on ecosystems across the Golden State.

A new census shows there are thousands fewer mountain lions than previously thought

A first-of-its-kind cougar count puts their population in perspective.

The census, conducted over seven years by state and university scientists, estimates there are between 3,200 and 4,500 mountain lions in California. Researchers used GPS collar data and gathered genetic information from big-cat scat to model population densities in habitats across the state. They found the coastal forests of Humboldt and Mendocino counties of Northwest California have the most mountain lions, while their population is lowest in the high desert region of Inyo County.

As L.A. Times’ Louis Sahagún reported, the new estimate is notably lower than the one state wildlife officials have long used:

“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife had for decades estimated that the state’s mountain lion population was roughly 6,000 — even despite relentless vehicle strikes, wildfires and encroachment by land-hungry humans throughout their range.”

That state figure was “a back-of-the-envelope calculation without much data to support it,” Justin Dellinger, a biologist and leader of the California Mountain Lion Project, told Louis.

We’re the pumas’ biggest problem

The new research could help as state officials decide whether to grant mountain lions new protections against their biggest threat: us.

Mountain lions used to roam vast territories. Then we built into wild spaces. A sprawling freeway network now cuts them off from new areas and dissects the land into enclosed bits. Many mountain lions that try to get past all our infrastructure are killed by drivers.

“Mountain lions as a species are not listed as endangered,” Louis noted. “But in Southern California, vehicle strikes, rat poison, inbreeding, wildfires, poaching, urban encroachment and freeway systems are all contributing to what scientists call an ‘extinction vortex.’”

In Southern California, mountain lions boxed in by multiple freeways often end up inbreeding. Researchers have warned that the populations in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana Mountains could go extinct within 50 years.

Look no further than the tragic tale of beloved L.A. mountain lion P-22, who made headlines for his bold freeway crossings and solitary life in Griffith Park. In the end, he suffered the same fate as many other Southland mountain lions: struck by a car driver and ultimately euthanized due to his injuries.

The Fish and Game commission is weighing a proposal to protect them

The state Fish and Game Commission has granted mountain lions in six regions candidate status to be listed as threatened, providing some protections as the commission decides whether to officially give the big cats that designation. It will make a final decision later this year.

If that happens, the effects would be notable, as Louis explained:

The state Department of Transportation would not be allowed to build or expand highways in core mountain lion habitat without implementing adequate measures to ensure linkages and safe passage over them.
Large-scale residential and commercial development could be prohibited or limited in mountain lion habitats within a region covering roughly a third of the state.

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Commentary and opinions

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(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

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For your downtime

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