Mountain lions in Santa Cruz County recently gained new protections under the California Endangered Species Act after years as candidates for listing. Protecting six distinct puma populations around the state is a win for many dedicated researchers, but the move heightens the concerns about potential land-use and livestock impacts for developers, ranchers and farmers.
mountain lions
Coverage of mountain lions in Santa Cruz County and beyond.
Posted inLatest News
Facing ‘extinction vortex,’ California grants new protections to some mountain lions
State fish and game officials declared mountain lions on the Central Coast and in Southern California threatened under the state’s endangered species act.
Posted inLatest News
Mountain lion roams posh San Francisco neighborhood before being captured
A 77-pound mountain lion set off a scramble Tuesday as it wandered through San Francisco’s wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood before finally being captured as onlookers safely peered from their home windows or stood across the street.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville police warn of mountain lion seen in Main Street area Wednesday morning
After a mountain lion was spotted in the area behind 1075 Main St. on Wednesday morning, the Watsonville Police Department is asking residents to stay alert while walking in open and rural areas.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Mountain lion sightings continue around Santa Cruz County – here’s where to report them
The City of Watsonville reported another mountain lion sighting in a residential area, one of several in Santa Cruz County in recent months. If you see a lion and it does not pose an immediate risk, you can report it directly to the Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville police encourage caution after another mountain lion sighting
After the second mountain lion sighting in the city this month on Monday morning, Watsonville police are reminding the community about safety guidelines around the big cats.
Posted inLatest News
Mountain lion sightings in Aptos, Capitola and Watsonville prompt warnings
The Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office is urging caution after mountain lion sightings in Capitola, Watsonville and Aptos.
Posted inLatest News
Aptos High School shelters in place due to mountain lion sighting
Aptos High School students and staff sheltered in place Tuesday afternoon after a parent spotted a mountain lion on the baseball field.
Posted inEnvironment
Q&A: UCSC researcher Chris Wilmers on how a new Highway 17 animal crossing protects Santa Cruz mountain lions
UC Santa Cruz professor of environmental studies Chris Wilmers has spent more than 15 years researching the population of around 50 mountain lions living in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Wilmers helped the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County develop a wildlife crossing underneath Highway 17 at Laurel Curve, which opened in January. He shares his thoughts on how to protect mountain lions from encroaching development.
Posted inEnvironment
California is turning mountain lions into roadkill faster than they can reproduce
Vehicle strikes, rat poison, inbreeding, urban encroachment and wildfire are contributing to an “extinction vortex” for mountain lions.