WASHINGTON: Mountain lions in California are below risk from issues like wildfires and lack of habitat, and an enormous effort is underway to attempt to preserve them out of hurt’s manner.
Though they’re a protected species, there at the moment are lower than 4, 500 mountain lions – often known as cougars or pumas – in the entire of California. Solely a dozen are left within the Santa Monica Mountains.
These animals inhabit numerous habitat varieties throughout California, together with temperate redwood forest, foothills and mountains. However they’re shedding their habitat as people encroach on these areas.
Squeezed into smaller areas, some find yourself roaming simply exterior of the extremely populated metropolis of Los Angeles. Some are killed by automobiles on highways as they attempt to transfer round.
“So when you’re making an attempt to wander to seek out meals or mates or shelter in an space the place you need to cross among the world’s busiest freeways, it isn’t an excellent situation,” mentioned Beth Pratt, California regional govt director at america’ Nationwide Wildlife Federation.
“And certainly, what the Nationwide Park Service analysis over twenty years has proven is these guys are going to actually vanish from this panorama if we do not do one thing.”
