Protection for California mountain lions could become permanent

"SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS - The Santa Cruz Mountains are home to plenty of iconic species, from banana slugs to redwood trees. But the king of the mountains, reigning over rabbits and black-tailed deer, is the mountain lion. Around 50 pumas patrol the forested areas of Santa Cruz County, occasionally startling people by showing up in towns or suburban areas. The big cats, a keystone species in the mountains, keep deer populations in check, maintain ecosystem balance and are considered icons in many mountain communities. To ensure the long-term survival of mountain lions, the California Fish and Game Commission is slated to vote to list the animals as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act at a meeting this month."

"In California, mountain lions face increasing dangers - rat poison infiltrates their food and water sources and cars on freeways can strike the creatures down. The biggest threats to the animals are the freeways that cut through their habitat, isolating them from other populations and diminishing their chances to reproduce. For years, environmental advocates have worked to secure protections for California's most imperiled mountain lion populations, including those residing in the Santa Cruz Mountains. In 2020, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to enact temporary protections for these six populations. In December 2025, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recommended that the commission make those temporary protections permanent. That vote will take place at a two-day commission meeting Feb. 11 and 12. "The state is listening to the science," said Tiffany Yap, a conservation scientist and urban wildlands science director at the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit that advocates for the conservation of threatened species. "And that, I think, is really exciting, really gratifying.""

Approximately 50 mountain lions (pumas) roam the forested Santa Cruz Mountains and occasionally appear in towns and suburbs. The cats act as a keystone species by keeping deer populations in check and maintaining ecosystem balance. Major threats include rat poison contamination, vehicle collisions on freeways, and habitat fragmentation from highways that isolate populations and reduce reproductive opportunities. Environmental advocates secured temporary protections for six imperiled populations in 2020. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recommended making those protections permanent in December 2025, and the California Fish and Game Commission is scheduled to vote on the listing in February.

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