California officials have worked hard to make room for mountain lions – But not everyone is happy about it. In February, six groups of this apex predator received additional protection under the California Endangered Species Act. These distinct populations live along the central and southern coasts of California, where development has increasingly isolated them from the rest of the state’s habitats.
But giving lions more protection has drawn some objections from ranchers and developers concerned about attacks on livestock. Even some California residents have expressed fear of conflict with the animals, especially after a Deadly attack in 2024.
The reality is that providing mountain lions with more habitat and legal protection does not mean more conflict with people. This is according to a study published on Tuesday current biology. The study authors observed the activities of both lions and outdoor athletes in the Santa Cruz Mountains near San Francisco. By compiling data from GPS collars worn on the lions and the Strava activities of runners and cyclists, they determined that mountain lions tend to avoid people – even when their habitat is near popular trails.
“If you’re a hiker or mountain biker in these places, mountain lions already know you’re there, and they’re avoiding the area,” said Chris Wilmers, a UC Santa Cruz environmental studies professor and senior author of the study. News release. “They know which paths are used, when and by how much, and they avoid places that are constantly occupied, rather than reactively moving away when someone comes across the path. They are taking proactive steps to avoid people.”
Mountain Lion History in California
California is slowly improving protection for mountain lions For more than half a century. The state banned hunting of the animals in 1974. Voters designated them a “specially protected mammal” in a 1990 referendum. The law also made exceptions for the lethal removal of big cats to protect private property and livestock.
This year, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to list six groups of Central Coast and Southern California mountain lions as “threatened” under the California Endangered Species Act. This lion population, which represents about a third of the state’s population, is especially in need of help. Biologists have observed an increase in inbreeding between animals, which may compromise their ability to thrive in the long term.
That’s why the state built the world’s largest wildlife crossing near the Santa Cruz Mountains. Two of the three mountain lions were killed by vehicles while attempting to reach habitat on the other side of the busy highways that run north and south of San Francisco.
“Each lion crossing in any direction will contribute significantly to the gene pool,” Paul Edelman, deputy director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, told GearJunkie. “Things are just that bad.”
Findings of study on lion-human conflict
For this week’s study, researchers analyzed 6 years of data from 36 wild pumas equipped with GPS tracking collars. Most of these were in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The researchers then compared the lions’ movements to those of runners and cyclists, and recorded their activities on the outdoor app Strava. They found that the animals were “clearly geared toward long-term recreational use trends,” according to a release from the University of California, Santa Cruz, which took part in the study.
“Pumas were generally active in avoiding heavily trafficked trails, particularly in areas within 100 feet of trail sections with the highest average hourly use,” the university said. “This is great news for outdoor enthusiasts.”
The study also analyzed the history of conflict between mountain lions and people. Researchers mapped 678 human-puma conflict incidents reported in the Santa Cruz Mountains between 2018 and 2023. These incidents include puma sightings, attacks on pets or livestock, aggressive or unusual behavior, or rare attacks on humans.
Result? Mountain lions that frequently see humans are not necessarily more likely to approach them – in fact, quite the opposite. According to the study, “The results showed that conflict sites were generally avoided by all pumas, regardless of their level of human tolerance.”
The findings suggest that land managers can reduce lion-human conflict by managing human behavior, such as closing trails at night and placing limits on backcountry access. Furthermore, maintaining a healthy lion population is not just about reducing already rare attacks on humans. It is also about improving the health of the ecosystem as a whole.
The researchers said lions play an important role as a flagship species. “This research shows that at least habitat should not be seen as black and white, and that there may be a spectrum of habitats that actually support peaceful coexistence between people and these amazing animals.”
