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"Why can't mountain lions be hunted in California?"
"With the passage of Proposition 117 in 1990, mountain lions became a "specially protected species," making mountain lion hunting illegal in California. This status and other statutes prohibit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife from recommending a hunting season for lions, and it is illegal to take, injure, possess, transport, import, or sell any mountain lion or part of a mountain lion. Mountain lions may be killed only 1) if a depredation permit is issued to take a specific lion killing livestock or pets; 2) to preserve public safety; or 3) to protect listed bighorn sheep"
How often are mountain lions declared public safety threats in California?
"The CDFW receives hundreds of reported mountain lion sightings annually statewide, but fewer than three percent turn out to be verified public safety threats. During 2004, for example, there were 14 public safety mountain lions killed."
So Cali says you are protected by statistics from mountain lions..rest easy!
DF&G puts things in perspective - anyone even vaguely familiar with mathematics could tell you the same thing.
There are 38,000,000+ people in California. There is a non-fatal attack approximately every three years, on average. The last fatal attack was just over a decade ago (early January, 2004, Orange County); there have been three non-fatal attacks in the last decade.
You can do the rest of the math.
Want to live in terror over that? Be my guest. Your problem, not mine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Osito
Doesn't this happen a lot? It's wildlife I guess.
Probably.
Simi Valley is located between the Simi Hills to the south and Oak Ridge to the north; these are minor mountain lion habitats. Further south and north, respectively, are the Santa Monica Mountains and the Los Padres & Los Angeles National Forests, major mountain lion habitats. Animals will use the wildlife corridor of the Simi Hills and Oak Ridge to pass between those major habitats, especially young males who must seek out their own territories. The ones that don't happen to find their ways across Santa Susana Pass or low hills to the west will wander through urban Simi Valley (or the San Fernando Valley, or the Oxnard Plain) where they are more likely to have interactions with the human populations.
Young and inexperienced males, by the way, are among the most common 'problem' lions - those too old and/or weak to take down their normal prey also often fit the profile of those attacking humans.
DF&G puts things in perspective - anyone even vaguely familiar with mathematics could tell you the same thing.
There are 38,000,000+ people in California. There is a non-fatal attack approximately every three years, on average. The last fatal attack was just over a decade ago (early January, 2004, Orange County); there have been three non-fatal attacks in the last decade.
You can do the rest of the math.
Want to live in terror over that? Be my guest. Your problem, not mine.
Probably.
Simi Valley is located between the Simi Hills to the south and Oak Ridge to the north; these are minor mountain lion habitats. Further south and north, respectively, are the Santa Monica Mountains and the Los Padres & Los Angeles National Forests, major mountain lion habitats. Animals will use the wildlife corridor of the Simi Hills and Oak Ridge to pass between those major habitats, especially young males who must seek out their own territories. The ones that don't happen to find their ways across Santa Susana Pass or low hills to the west will wander through urban Simi Valley (or the San Fernando Valley, or the Oxnard Plain) where they are more likely to have interactions with the human populations.
Young and inexperienced males, by the way, are among the most common 'problem' lions - those too old and/or weak to take down their normal prey also often fit the profile of those attacking humans.
That's interesting. It wouldn't be a lack of sustainable prey or something like that either?
Young and inexperienced males, by the way, are among the most common 'problem' lions - those too old and/or weak to take down their normal prey also often fit the profile of those attacking humans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Osito
That's interesting. It wouldn't be a lack of sustainable prey or something like that either?
Young tom cougars often lead difficult lives. They have yet to hone their hunting skills because of lack of experience, which at this point are not nearly as good as was their mothers's. In addition, they are not mature enough to take and hold a territory in competition against older, larger, more poweful males. Adult males are very territorial, and will drive out and sometimes even kill a trespassing weaker tom. A very real threat young male cougars face is being killed by their own father. Malnourished and with no home of their own, young males may get into trouble by preying on pets, livestock, or in very rare cases, humans.
Yes, mountain lions are constantly overcrowding the land and forcing other species out of existence, unlike humble Man"kind" with all those fungus-like housing developments, energy infrastructure scars, mindless wars, etc.
The odd mountain lion roaming land it once inhabited (now taken over by people) is of course the REAL terror.
This reminds me of how the last Grizzly bear in California was shot dead in the 1920s, yet it still remains on the state flag. It also reminds me of all the subdivisions named after trees that used to exist on that land, or bodies of water rendered generic by developed surroundings.
^^^thumbs up Ca_North.
Urban/suburban sprawl? Do people who live in the area follow the recommendations & precautions from The California Dept of Fish and Game list?
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