Mountain lion
About Mountain lions
More than half of California is mountain lion habitat. Mountain lions are also known as pumas. cougars, and panthers. They have a tawny color with black on the tips of their ears and tails. Young cubs have dark spots and dark rings around their tails, which fade over time. Mountain lions are the second largest member of the cat family in North America. Males are usually larger than females. Males can grow to more than 8 feet long from nose to end of tail end, and weigh 130 to 150 pounds. Adult females may grow to be7 feet long and weight 65 to 90 pounds.
They tend to have a quite, solitary, and elusive lifestyle. They generally avoid people and usually hunt alone at night. They can run very fast for short distances and are excellent tree climbers. Mountain lions generally exist wherever deer are found. Deer are their favorite prey. Areas where they are found can include Redwood, coniferous, and deciduous forests, coastal chaparral, foothills, and mountains.
They are solitary and elusive, and their nature is to avoid humans. Mountain lions usually prey on large animals like deer, elk, bighorn sheep, feral pigs, but if available they will also eat pets and livestock. In extremely rare cases, even people have fallen prey to mountain lions. Moving problem mountain lions is not an option. It causes deadly conflicts with other mountain lions already there, or the relocated mountain lion returns.
Why are mountain lions important?
Mountain lions are essential to the health of our ecosystem and help increase biodiversity needed to maintain a health ecosystem. However, as more food is readily available for them near people, mountain lions are entering residential neighborhoods. In addition, as more people enter mountain lion habitat, some mountain lions can lose their fear of humans and become problematic. Mountain lions also have the potential of carrying diseases like rabies and feline leukemia.
Services
You can request a free home inspection and consultation for issues with mountain lions. Our trained technicians will inspect the exterior of your property and do the following:
- Look for possible entry points.
- Identify what might be attracting wildlife to your property.
- Provide consultation and advice on how to:
- Do the repairs to keep wildlife out of your property.
- Reduce availability of food, water, and shelter.
You can also report a mountain lion sighting.
REPORT A COYOTE/MOUNTAIN LION SIGHTING
How can I prevent mountain lions at home?
To prevent attracting mountain lions to your home:
- Never feed wildlife that frequent your home. The presence of wildlife may attract mountain lions as they seem them as a food source.
- Bring pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.
- Deer-proof your landscape to avoid plants that attract deer which can attract mountain lions.
- Don't feed deer; it is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.
- Trim brush to reduce hiding places.
- Install motion sensitive lighting outside your house and other buildings.
- Provide sturdy shelter for livestock.
- Don't leave small children alone outside.
- Don't allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active-dawn, dusk, and at night.
- Exclusion of mountain lions requires using heavy woven wire fencing that is at least 10 feet high.
- Abandoned animals can ultimately become food for wildlife. Contact your local animal control agency if there are stray dogs or cats in your neighborhood.
How can I protect myself, children, and pets?
Mountain lions are quiet, solitary and elusive and typically avoid people. Mountain lion attacks on humans are extremely rare. However, conflicts are increasing as California's human population expands into mountain lion habitat.
Self-Protection
- Do not hike, bike, or jog alone.
- Avoid hiking or jogging when mountain lions are most active-dawn, dusk and at night.
- Do not approach a mountain lion.
- If you encounter a mountain lion, do not run; instead face the animal.
- Make loud noises to scare them away.
- Try to look bigger by waving your arms or placing backpack/bags above your head.
- If attacked, fight back.
- If a mountain lion attacks a person, immediately call 911.
- Do not bend down to pick up pets or items off of the ground.
Children
- Keep a close watch on small children.
- Toddlers and small children should not be allowed to play outside unsupervised.
- Do not allow children to run off in front of you or fall behind when hiking.
Pets
- Keep pets on a leash when walking them. Retractable leashes do not offer enough protection.
- Don't allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active-dawn, dusk, and at night.
- Take note if your pet seems nervous and frightened when outside. They may have encountered or smelled a mountain lion nearby.