The question of whether mountain lions should be considered an endangered species in California has been an open debate since 2019. Now, after years of scientific study and back and forth, the matter is resolved.
On Feb. 12, the state’s Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to list mountain lions in the Central Coast and Southern part of the state as endangered.
The Petition
The issue began in 2019 when the Center for Biological Diversity and Mountain Lion Foundation first petitioned the state to list the animal under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). The nonprofits cited multiple threats to these animals, including habitat loss and low genetic diversity, and death from rodent poisons, depredation killings, and traffic collisions.
“Protections under the Act would ensure that harms from development projects to mountain lions and their habitat are addressed and minimized,” the Center said in a press release. “A legal mandate to protect mountain lions could also bring more wildlife crossings and habitat protections in important connectivity areas, which would improve wildlife movement and reduce collisions.”
Opposition came from groups including the California Farm Bureau and the California Cattleman’s Association. “Ranchers need timely, effective tools — including lethal removal when non-lethal measures fail — to protect their operations and livelihoods without unnecessary regulatory burdens,” a group of ranchers wrote in an online petition.
The Meeting
In a meeting on Feb. 11, the California Fish and Game Commission faced the decision on the mountain lion question. Officials heard from a variety of voices, including ranchers and state scientists who had studied the animal.
Ranchers cited concerns over threats to livestock and increased costs. State scientists explained that the mountain lions were suffering from low genetic diversity, causing health problems and inbreeding.
The matter was open for public comment, and the Commission heard 57 people’s opinions about the subject. Ultimately, the three-person board voted unanimously to grant endangered protections to the animal.
The ruling does not apply to every single mountain lion in the state, but rather just the population in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Central Coast, Santa Monica Mountains, San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, Santa Ana Mountains, and Eastern Peninsular ranges. This area roughly stretches from Sacramento to the U.S.–Mexico border along the coast, and contains a population of about 1,400.
As a candidate species under CESA, mountain lions temporarily received the same protections as fully listed species. The decision of the commission made the listing permanent.
No one can kill or possess the animal without authorization from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The listing will also lead to increased efforts to establish wildlife crossings and minimize accidental deaths from traffic collisions and rat poison.
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