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| Cougar - Puma concolor | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 7 2012, 08:46 PM (39,618 Views) | |
| maker | Nov 15 2014, 09:33 AM Post #46 |
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Apex Predator
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l94xu-9h1VQ |
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| maker | Dec 17 2014, 05:44 PM Post #47 |
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Apex Predator
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ET_hi48dc |
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| maker | Dec 31 2014, 06:28 PM Post #48 |
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Apex Predator
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http://www.bapp.org/cat-of-many-names |
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| Taipan | Jan 1 2015, 04:04 PM Post #49 |
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| maker | Jan 3 2015, 06:06 PM Post #50 |
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Apex Predator
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http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2015/mountain-lions-01-02-2015.html Edited by maker, Jan 7 2015, 05:42 PM.
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| maker | Jan 11 2015, 07:34 PM Post #51 |
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Apex Predator
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A very informative PDF: http://cougarnet.org/Assets/pumafieldguide.pdf |
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| maker | Feb 14 2015, 01:02 PM Post #52 |
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Apex Predator
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| Bandog | Mar 20 2015, 08:32 AM Post #53 |
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Everything else is just a dog.
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Bumped into this of Facebook, thought you guys would be interested
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| maker | Mar 22 2015, 09:20 AM Post #54 |
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Apex Predator
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https://www.facebook.com/santamonicamtns/photos/a.314259308659.144951.80124818659/10152784957548660/?type=1 Edited by maker, Mar 22 2015, 09:24 AM.
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| Ceph | Jul 10 2015, 03:24 AM Post #55 |
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Piscivore
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Eastern Puma Extinct After Years of Cougar Confusion By Brian Stallard Jun 27, 2015 12:10 AM EDT ![]() (Photo : USG (US Fish & Wildlife Service)) A photo of the suspected eastern cougar (Puma concolor couguar) taken at an unknown date. FWS archives. It's official: the once-imperiled "eastern puma" has been removed from the list of North American wildlife protected under the Endangered Species Act. Traditionally, this would imply a recent loss or success for conservationists, but not so with this top cat. In fact, officials have revealed that the cougar in question may have been extinct for decades. http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/15351/20150627/eastern-puma-extinct-years-cougar-confusion.htm |
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| Taipan | Jul 16 2015, 03:22 PM Post #56 |
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A lion tale: Humans cause most mountain lion deaths in Southern California Genetic hopes of the population may rely on one lady lion Date: July 15, 2015 Source: University of California - Davis Summary: A 13-year study combined genetic and demographic data to determine that even though hunting mountain lions is prohibited in California, humans caused more than half the known deaths of mountain lions studied. ![]() A mountain lion, F92, keeps watch while her juvenile cubs feed at a bait sight in 2014. Busy highways and growing urbanization in the area threaten pumas in Southern California and have led to their genetic decay, a UC Davis study found. The biggest threat to Southern California mountain lions is us, confirms a comprehensive 13-year study of the population's mortality and survival from the University of California, Davis. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, combined genetic and demographic data to determine that even though hunting mountain lions is prohibited in California, humans caused more than half the known deaths of mountain lions studied. Most were killed through vehicle collisions, depredation permits, illegal shootings, public-safety removals or human-caused wildfire. Annual survival rates were only about 56 percent. Exacerbating the problem is an interstate highway, I-15, a major thoroughfare connecting San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties that has proven nearly impossible for the mountain lions to cross. It bisects the study area, which stretches from Orange County, south to the Mexican border and east to the Salton Sea. Crossing the interstate, especially for the animals of breeding age, is important for this population's declining genetic diversity -- and long-term health and survival. CUT OFF Most of the available mountain lion habitat in Southern California is sandwiched between the greater Los Angeles and San Diego areas, home to a growing population of about 20 million people. Lead author Winston Vickers, an associate veterinarian with the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, said fragmentation of mountain lion populations by highways is happening to a serious degree in the Santa Ana mountain range, as well as elsewhere in Southern California, such as the Santa Monica Mountains. In the Santa Anas, fragmentation and genetic restriction are compounded by unusually low survival rates. This raises significant concerns about the future persistence of this population. "Nowhere in the U.S., outside of the endangered Florida panther, have mountain lion populations been documented that are this cut off and with survival rates this low," Vickers said. "This means that the odds of an individual animal making it across I-15, surviving to set up a territory, successfully breeding, and then their offspring breeding so the genes are spread throughout the population is harder to have happen naturally than one would expect." ONE LADY LION 'GENETIC HOPE' OF POPULATION The issue is perhaps best illustrated by a lion tale. During the 13-year study, the researchers detected only one mountain lion that made it across I-15 moving east to west, the direction needed to improve genetic diversity for the Santa Ana Mountains population. That male lion, M86, successfully bred and produced at least four offspring before he died. Of those four, one was poisoned, one was hit by a car, and another was taken into captivity for being too familiar with people. The fourth lion produced kittens, two of which she raised to adulthood, and one of which, F126, is known to still be alive. "So all the genetic hopes of this population may be pinned on this one animal, F126 -- a female we know is circulating," Vickers said. "Given the odds of that female producing kittens, and those kittens producing kittens, it will take generations and generations to see if his effort, M86's, in crossing the road was worth it." MOVE IT OR LOSE IT? The situation for mountain lions in the Santa Anas, particularly, has become so dire that translocation -- such as was done for the endangered Florida panther -- may be necessary to prevent further genetic decline, the study warned. However, developing means to connect the population more naturally is preferable, Vickers said, such as by creating safe crossings along targeted highways. "This population has one foot on the banana peel and one foot on the edge," Vickers said of Santa Ana mountain lions. "Whatever we can do, we should do. Other populations are going the same direction, they're just not as far down the road." Story Source: University of California - Davis. "A lion tale: Humans cause most mountain lion deaths in Southern California: Genetic hopes of the population may rely on one lady lion." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150715170537.htm (accessed July 16, 2015). Journal Reference: T. Winston Vickers, Jessica N. Sanchez, Christine K. Johnson, Scott A. Morrison, Randy Botta, Trish Smith, Brian S. Cohen, Patrick R. Huber, Holly B. Ernest, Walter M. Boyce. Survival and Mortality of Pumas (Puma concolor) in a Fragmented, Urbanizing Landscape. PLOS ONE, 2015; 10 (7): e0131490 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131490 Abstract Wide-ranging large carnivores pose myriad challenges for conservation, especially in highly fragmented landscapes. Over a 13-year period, we combined monitoring of radio collared pumas (Puma concolor) with complementary multi-generational genetic analyses to inform puma conservation in southern California, USA. Our goals were to generate survivorship estimates, determine causes of mortality, identify barriers to movement, and determine the genetic and demographic challenges to puma persistence among >20,000,000 people and extensive urban, suburban, and exurban development. Despite protection from hunting, annual survival for radio collared pumas was surprisingly low (55.8%), and humans caused the majority of puma deaths. The most common sources of mortality were vehicle collisions (28% of deaths), and mortalities resulting from depredation permits issued after pumas killed domestic animals (17% of deaths). Other human-caused mortalities included illegal shootings, public safety removals, and human-caused wildfire. An interstate highway (I-15) bisecting this study area, and associated development, have created a nearly impermeable barrier to puma movements, resulting in severe genetic restriction and demographic isolation of the small puma population (n ~ 17–27 adults) in the Santa Ana Mountains west of I-15. Highways that bisect habitat or divide remaining “conserved” habitat, and associated ongoing development, threaten to further subdivide this already fragmented puma population and increase threats to survival. This study highlights the importance of combining demographic and genetic analyses, and illustrates that in the absence of effective measures to reduce mortality and enhance safe movement across highways, translocation of pumas, such as was done with the endangered Florida panther (P. c. coryi), may ultimately be necessary to prevent further genetic decline and ensure persistence of the Santa Ana Mountains population. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0131490 |
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| Taipan | Aug 29 2015, 03:49 PM Post #57 |
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Claws, Cars, and Casualties: How Cougars Die in Los Angeles August 28, 2015 Posted by: Zach Behrens, Communications Fellow ![]() National Park Service biologists perform measurements during P-32's necropsy. | Photo: National Park Service In 2004, just a couple years into our study of mountain lions in the fragmented Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding area, the first two deaths occurred. Both deaths happened within a month of each other. Both were the result of rodenticide poisoning. And both lived north of the 101 in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains. That was surprising news. To our knowledge, there had never been a documented mortality of a wild mountain lion due to rodenticide until then. And it happened twice in the span of 30 days. To a common person, this might seem like the start of trend. But two data points do not make it so. Data need breathing room and, in this case, that means time. Eleven years later, the study is still going strong with more than 40 lions included. So what has over a decade of study told us about the causes of mortality for local pumas? Let’s break it down. ![]() Of the 44 lions studied, there are 19 known deaths:
Let’s work our way up the list. Poaching ![]() Male P-15 in 2010 caught on a camera trap. | Photo: National Park Service It unfortunately does occur from time to time, and it happened to P-15 in a brutal way (P for puma, 15 for the 15th lion to be followed in our study). He was found decapitated with all four paws severed off. His GPS collar was missing. When we found him, he was unrecognizable. Only genetic testing gave us confirmation. A yearlong investigation by state wildlife officials did not turn up an arrest. Unknown ![]() P-25, a female, died of unknown causes in October 2012. | Photo: National Park Service This is sometimes the reality of research. Results will come out inconclusive for a variety of reasons, such as finding a deceased lion after it began decomposing. In the case of P-25, the necropsy was inconclusive, but we did document rodenticide exposure, which could have played a role in her death. Speaking of which... Rodenticide ![]() P-22, the lion living in Griffith Park, was exposed to rodenticide, making him susceptible to mange. He was treated and recovered. | Photo: National Park Service A little more to add to what’s already been said. It’s believed that P-3 and P-4, the two who died in the Simi Hills, had a tertiary exposure to the poison. That is to say, they were the third animals in the food chain for that meal. A woodrat, for example, could have eaten the poison, which was then eaten by a coyote, which was then eaten by the mountain lions. The poison just moved right on up the food chain. This is not a pleasant way to die. As for rodenticide in general, 11 of 12 mountain lions tested during our study have been exposed to anticoagulants. In fact, during nearly two decades of research in and around the Santa Monica Mountains, there’s been documented widespread exposure to anticoagulant rodenticide in local wildlife, sometimes leading to death. Of 140 bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions evaluated, 88 percent tested positive for one or more anticoagulant compounds. Starvation/Abandonment ![]() P-29 was abandoned by her mother and died in June 2013. | Photo: National Park Service P-13 has given birth to at least three litters of kittens during the study. Her first litter in 2010 had three kittens. She abandoned one of the kittens, who died of starvation. The birth of her next litter was not documented, but she was later seen with two kittens. Her third litter was made up four kittens, of which two were found deceased. Abandonment isn’t unheard of, but there’s simply not enough research and data to begin to answering why and how often this occurs. Were the abandoned kittens sick? Could she not handle more than two and made a decision to leave behind the least fit? We just don’t know, but that’s one of the many reasons why we continue to study lions. Vehicle Collision ![]() P-A was found dead on Malibu Canyon Road on May 22, 2004. Lions not followed by our study are given a letter instead of a number. | Photo: National Park Service Roads -- the second deadliest category in the study -- provide a window into habitat fragmentation and open space connectivity. Mountains lions have large ranges (they need between 75 to 200 square miles) and need to travel miles for food, marking and defending territory, breeding, and, for mothers of young kittens, avoiding adult males. The Santa Monicas are not pure open space, but rather a blend of that and private residences, all connected by streets -- some quiet, some quite busy -- and then flanked on all sides by nearly impenetrable forces: miles of ocean or miles of high speed freeway. Welcome to puma prison. Our GPS data show many lions pushing up against the edges of freeways and then turning back. Those that do continue are rolling the dice. Twelve mountain lions, three from our study, have been struck and killed by vehicles in our study area since research began in 2002. (This post only examines the causes of death of animals we were tracking since, of course, we are much more likely to discover non-collared animals struck by vehicles than any other source of mortality.) P-18 tried and failed on the 405 near the Getty Center. P-32 earlier this month met the same fate on Interstate 5 near Castaic Lake, this after safely crossing numerous busy arteries, including the 101 (he was the third to successfully cross it). P-9 demonstrated that it’s not always going to be a busy freeway that ends a life. He died on Malibu Canyon Road, which is considered a two-lane county highway. Intraspecific Conflict ![]() Female P-7 killed by father P-1 | Photo: National Park Service While crossing busy roadways is a major challenge in fragmented habitat, it’s not the only hurdle. As the numbers indicate, our study has so far found that mountain lions killing other mountain lions is the number one cause of death in the study. It goes back to the need for a widespread range, especially for males, who stake out a large area for food and reproduction (females are generally welcome to stay within a male’s range). But a spatially constrained area where leaving is not an easy option, especially for dispersing young lions, creates intraspecific conflict. That conflict on its own is not unusual in the world of mountain lions. In the Santa Monica Mountains, however, there’s an extra layer of uniqueness. The area is practically landlocked leading to conflict between close relatives. It’s speculated that the reduced ability of mountain lions, especially young males, to move out of the Santa Monicas, may increase the chances of aggressive encounters with adult male lions, often leading to these fatal events. The restriction on movement could also contribute to male lions killing females, even adult females that represent breeding opportunities. And all of this, say our researchers, is rare or nonexistent elsewhere where lions reside. “n the Santa Monica Mountains, we documented repeated cases of males killing their offspring, their brothers, and previous mates,” wrote two of our wildlife biologists, Seth Riley and Jeff Sikich, with University of California colleagues in a September 2014 issue of the journal Current Biology. “Little has been reported about paternity or kin recognition in mountain lions, but clearly this is rarely a sound evolutionary strategy as the survivorship of offspring or siblings is traded against the probability of future reproduction.” Interestingly enough, we’ve observed the opposite starting just hundreds of feet across the 101 Freeway in the Simi Hills, a northern gateway to the Santa Susana Mountains and Los Padres National Forest. Males P-12 and P-16 (both fathered by P-21) were born north of the 101 and successfully dispersed to establish their own home ranges. Meanwhile, if you’re a male mountain lion born in the Santa Monica Mountains, it’s unlikely you’re going to live beyond age two. This all points to the need for a connection between the Santa Monicas and Simi Hills for those northward open spaces, which is important for the long term health of the species in the Los Angeles area. Our researchers have identified the area near Liberty Canyon Road in Agoura Hills as a critical location for a wildlife crossing of some sort. * * * * * There’s one more looming threat to mountain lions. It hasn’t occurred yet and, frankly, it’s one we hope to never observe. With the limited movement available, we’re seeing inbreeding. The dominant male lions are killing off male competition (usually sons or brothers) and reproducing with previous mates, their daughters, and even granddaughters. The genetic diversity of these local lions are some of the lowest ever observed. Physical effects have yet to be observed, but there is precedence for concern. After more than 100 years in isolation, a population of lions, known as Florida panthers, began to see reproductive failure due to inbreeding. To help diversify the gene pool, lions from Texas were translocated. We’re not to that point in the Santa Monicas, and translocating a lion from elsewhere could be one helpful tool in addressing the issue. But translocation into isolation is like a band-aid covering a cut that never stops bleeding. Connectivity appears to be the best long term solution. And if connectivity happens, a blog post 20 years from now on the same topic could have a different ending. Death would still occur, but the countdown to genetically-caused local extinction would be gone. Researchers see that as a win. http://www.nps.gov/samo/blogs/claws-cars-and-casualties-how-cougars-die-in-los-angeles.htm |
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| Ceratodromeus | Dec 20 2015, 10:37 AM Post #58 |
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Aspiring herpetologist
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Some interesting stuff here! Remains Of Captive Carnivores Discovered At Mexican Pyramid Archaeologists have discovered the remains of the earliest known captive carnivores in Mesoamerica, after excavating the pyramids at the ancient city of Teotihuacan in Mexico. Among the findings were the bones of pumas, eagles and wolves, many of which displayed markings which probably correspond to brutal treatment by their human captors. Remains of almost 200 animals were found in tunnels underneath the famous Moon Pyramid and Sun Pyramid, during excavations carried out between 1998 and 2004. It is believed that the creatures were placed there as offerings at various stages of the temples’ construction. As such, they predate all previous evidence for captive carnivores in the region, such as the famous descriptions of Aztec zoos and breeding programmes provided by early conquistadores and missionaries such as Hernán Cortés and Bernardino de Sahagún. The latest findings, described in the journal PLOS ONE, are thought to date back to between 150 and 350 CE, and therefore suggest that the domestication of these creatures was prevalent more than 1,000 years earlier than previously thought. The position of the discovered animals, combined with depictions of pumas and wolves dressed in military regalia while devouring human hearts, suggests that they were probably involved in sacrificial ceremonies, and may well have eaten humans who were offered to the gods. To confirm this, the researchers conducted isotope analysis on the bones they found. This involves the study of the atoms in organic remains, focusing particularly on isotopes – atoms with particular numbers of neutrons in their nuclei – which give clues as to what the animal may have eaten. Drawings of pumas devouring human hearts suggest that they may have been involved in sacrificial rituals at Teotihuacan. Credit: Nawa Sugiyama Many of the specimens found at Teotihuacan contained high levels of certain nitrogen isotopes that indicate they probably fed on omnivores such as humans or dogs. Furthermore, the presence of a carbon isotope called C4 suggests they ate large amounts of maize, implying that they were raised in captivity rather than in the wild. Additionally, many of the animals displayed injuries that were probably inflicted by humans attempting to manipulate them. For instance, a number of eagles were found with fractures and other lesions on their legs, probably suffered as a result of being tethered. In addition, many of the skeletons were found to have been preserved using techniques resembling taxidermy. From this, the study authors hypothesize that these animals were probably accidentally killed before they could participate in ritual sacrifices, and were then stuffed so that they could still be used in these ceremonies. Adding up all of this evidence, the team concludes that the treatment of these captive beasts provides an interesting insight into the challenges involved in ancient Mesoamericans’ “initial experimentation in manipulating dangerous and specialized carnivores.” http://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/remains-captive-carnivores-discovered-mexican-pyramid Stable Isotopes and Zooarchaeology at Teotihuacan, Mexico Reveal Earliest Evidence of Wild Carnivore Management in Mesoamerica Journal reference: Sugiyama, Nawa, Andrew D. Somerville, and Margaret J. Schoeninger. "Stable Isotopes and Zooarchaeology at Teotihuacan, Mexico Reveal Earliest Evidence of Wild Carnivore Management in Mesoamerica." PloS one 10.9 (2015): e0135635. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0135635#sec003 Abstract From Roman gladiatorial combat to Egyptian animal mummies, the capture and manipulation of carnivores was instrumental in helping to shape social hierarchies throughout the ancient world. This paper investigates the historical inflection point when humans began to control animals not only as alimental resources but as ritual symbols and social actors in the New World. At Teotihuacan (A.D. 1–550), one of the largest pre-Hispanic cities, animal remains were integral components of ritual caches expressing state ideology and militarism during the construction of the Moon and the Sun Pyramids. The caches contain the remains of nearly 200 carnivorous animals, human sacrificial victims and other symbolic artifacts. This paper argues the presence of skeletal pathologies of infectious disease and injuries manifest on the carnivore remains show direct evidence of captivity. Stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) of bones and teeth confirms that some of these carnivores were consuming high levels of C4 foods, likely reflecting a maize-based anthropocentric food chain. These results push back the antiquity of keeping captive carnivores for ritualistic purposes nearly 1000 years before the Spanish conquistadors described Moctezuma’s zoo at the Aztec capital. Mirroring these documents the results indicate a select group of carnivores at Teotihuacan may have been fed maize-eating omnivores, such as dogs and humans. Unlike historical records, the present study provides the earliest and direct archaeological evidence for this practice in Mesoamerica. It also represents the first systematic isotopic exploration of a population of archaeological eagles (n = 24) and felids (n = 29).
Edited by Ceratodromeus, Dec 20 2015, 10:42 AM.
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| populator135 | Dec 22 2015, 08:21 AM Post #59 |
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Heterotrophic Organism
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Amazingly rare video of Cougar attacking a dobermann Edited by Taipan, Oct 13 2017, 01:56 PM.
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| Taipan | Feb 21 2016, 07:40 PM Post #60 |
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More on LA's Mountain Lions: Using GPS radio collar technology, National Park Service biologists are studying the behaviors of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. As these large cats fight for survival, some are killed while attempting to cross congested freeways. Some are even poisoned by rodenticides that find their way up the food chain. Since 2002, the National Park Service has tracked more than 30 mountain lions using GPS radio-collars. Currently, it's tracking 11 mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains, according to KCET environmental journalist Chris Clarke. Cara Santa Maria parallels the stories of P-22 and P-32, two mountain lions who successfully departed the Santa Monica Mountains by crossing multiple freeways, only to find troubling fates in the world beyond. P-22 gained nationwide attention after a National Geographic photographer snapped a picture of him posing in front of the Hollywood sign in Griffith Park. He's one of many mountain lions outfitted with collars by the National Park Service. What needs to be done in order to protect and coexist with a dwindling population that is often caught in the crossfire of an urban sprawl? Some suggest wildlife crossings to sustain the mountain lion population. But is that enough? How is urbanization impeding the health and wellness of these mountain lions? http://www.kcet.org/shows/socal_connected/stories/environment/a-tale-of-two-mountain-lions.html |
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