Not in cat country
The mountain lions of Southern California—facing dangerous freeway traffic, lethal poisons in their prey and the continued encroachment of humans into their habitat—are threatened with extinction. The question now is how much we care and what we’re willing to do, spend or sacrifice to protect them.
The state outlawed hunting mountain lions three decades ago, so we haven’t decimated them the way we did the grizzly bear. There are estimated to still be almost 6,000 in the state.
But wildlife experts say the number of mountain lions in central coastal and Southern California—genetically distinct subpopulations of the species—is so alarmingly low that they are in danger of becoming extinct. So the Center for Biological Diversity and the Mountain Lion Foundation have petitioned the California Fish and Game Commission to list all these groups of mountain lions, also known as cougars, as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act.
But here’s the problem: If the lions were to be listed for protection, it would mean that any housing development or transportation project would be legally required to avoid harming lions’ habitats and to preserve their pathways to open spaces and “connectivity” to the habitats of other mountain lions. And California is in the midst of a desperate housing crisis that is fueling homelessness,
harming low-income communities and making it harder to attract and retain businesses; policymakers at the state and local level are strongly encouraging new construction and development.
More such projects are bound to be proposed. If mountain lions were to be listed as threatened, these developments would be required to preserve existing corridors and protect habitats for mountain lions. New roads and freeways would have to include wildlife crossings. Would developers balk? Probably. One expert on property rights and environmental law says listing mountain lions would limit property owners’ ability to develop in wide swaths of land near the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains by increasing the cost of projects.
But as severe as the housing crisis is in California, it must be addressed in a manner that comports with the state’s other goals, including limiting emissions, protecting against wildfires, curtailing sprawl, promoting conservation—and preserving wildlife.
The staff of the Department of Fish and Wildlife will spend months studying this issue before making a recommendation to the commission. As they do, they should remember that not only are mountain lions a majestic reminder of a time when wildlife roamed abundantly, but, as “apex predators,” they are also key players in the ecosystem, helping support healthy habitats for aquatic and land animals.