California mountain lions, including those on the Central Coast, now have new protections under state law.
The California Fish and Game Commission voted Thursday to list six regional puma populations as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act. The decision applies to mountain lions in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Central Coast and several other regions across California.
State wildlife officials say the big cats face mounting threats tied to habitat loss, as development and roadways cut through migration areas. Vehicle strikes and exposure to rat poison are also among the leading causes of death, according to wildlife experts.
“Unfortunately, mountain lions face such a pervasive issue with so many different threats,” said staff scientist Tiffany Yap with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Roads and development still continue to fragment the landscape causing isolation of genetic populations. We're still seeing high levels of human caused mortalities.”
Yap and other supporters say the protections would lead to additional wildlife crossings and tighter restrictions on rat poisons.
But not everyone backed the move.
Some ranchers opposed the protections, saying mountain lions have taken a toll on livestock. Abby Bolt, a rancher from Kern County, told commissioners she has lost dozens of animals.
“We've lost 30 goats in the last two months and one of our best Great Pyrenees dogs,” Bolt said during public comment. “I respectfully ask that you do not list them without more common sense input from the ranchers.”
The vote comes amid recent mountain lion sightings in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, drawing renewed attention to the species along the Central Coast.
Under the Endangered Species Act, the threatened designation allows the state to develop recovery strategies aimed at stabilizing and rebuilding the mountain lion populations.
