July 27, 2024 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

UCLA Study Shows Wildfires Drive L.A.’s Mountain Lions to Take Deadly Risks

UCLA and National Park Service researchers studied the cougars’ movements before and after the Woolsey Fire

By David Colgan/UCLA Newsroom

When the Woolsey Fire roared through the Santa Monica Mountains in fall 2018, it torched half of the available habitat for the area’s mountain lions — a population already hemmed in by freeways and an ocean. 

Most survived the blaze, but in a study published today in Current Biology, scientists from UCLA and the National Park Service found that the animals, no longer able to utilize burned areas, engaged in risky behaviors that increased the likelihood of dangerous encounters with human-built infrastructure and rival mountain lions.

Conflicts with other cougars, particularly males, can be deadly, said lead study author Rachel Blakey, a researcher with UCLA’s La Kretz Center for California Conservation Biology. So can crossing busy roads and freeways, something the researchers found occurred with greater frequency in the 15 months after the fire, jumping from about three crossings a month to five.  

“The mountain lions we live alongside in L.A. are already taking their chances with roads and other mountain lions,” Blakey said. “The Woolsey Fire, by further limiting the space they have, really intensified those risks.”

The mountain lion known as P-61 is a case in point. As all subadult males do, P-61 left the area where he was raised to establish his own home range. But with so much land burned, he ventured east from the Santa Monica Mountains across the 405 freeway — the first recorded successful crossing of the nation’s busiest roadway by a cougar. He quickly found himself in a physical confrontation with an adult male in the hills east of the freeway, and attempting to retreat across the 405, he was struck by a vehicle and killed.

Another male, P-64 — known as “Culvert Cat” for his habit of crossing under the 101 freeway through a drainage tunnel — was in the Simi Hills of Ventura County during the fire and fell on hard times immediately after. With nearly two-thirds of cougars’ habitat in those hills burned, P-64 moved south, where he encountered urban development and, likely, firefighting and evacuation activity. That may have been what drove him back north, where the ground was still smoldering. He died a few weeks later.

“We could see his paws were burnt, and he died of starvation,” said Seth Riley, co-author of the study and wildlife branch chief for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, where the study was conducted. Riley’s team recovered Culvert Cat’s body.

The study’s findings, based on location and activity data from National Park Service tracking collars on about a dozen cougars, along with data on the fire and local terrain, illustrate just how disruptive wildfires can be for local mountain lion populations.   

Because they are ambush predators who rely on cover and the element of surprise to catch prey, the widespread loss of dense brush and chapparal means far fewer hiding spots from which to pounce, and the researchers found that the mountain lions almost completely avoided the large burned swathes of their habitat.  

A change in hunting habits may also partially explain why the largely nocturnal mountain lions were found to be busier during the daytime after the fire, remaining active for 16% of daylight hours, up from 10% before the fire. This may be due to their need to hunt animals other than mule deer, their primary prey, Blakey said, as well as to avoid other males. The increase in daytime activity also makes it more likely that they’ll encounter humans.

And while the park service received an influx of inquiries as to whether the cats were encroaching more on populated areas after the fire, the study found this wasn’t the case.

“With all our research, we’ve found this very strong tendency to avoid urban areas. That didn’t change post-fire,” said co-author Jeff Sikich, an NPS biologist who leads a team that finds and collars mountain lions, tracks their diet, measures survival rates and determines causes of death.

Sikich chalks the suspicion about growing mountain lion incursions up to the spread of home security and surveillance cameras, which may give the people the impression of increased activity. After all, a gated community’s security camera captured the encounter between P-61 and his rival.

The NPS has been studying and tracking Los Angeles’ unique population of urban mountain lions for 20 years. Partnering with the UCLA La Kretz Center and its postdoctoral researchers, including Blakey, has helped scientists deepen their understanding of these animals and improve conservation efforts. 

These efforts include boosting the genetic diversity of the region’s small mountain lion populations, which have been isolated from each other for years by freeways and have recently begun to show reproductive effects of inbreeding. Connecting them to new habitats and mates is crucial to keeping extinction at bay, Riley said. The new Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 freeway, currently in construction, is a leap in the right direction, but more is needed, he said

Solving the problem of wildfires is a more difficult challenge. Human development has vastly increased ignition sources and led to more fires over shorter periods of time, which is bad news for the native chapparal and for mountain lions. Vegetation might fail to regrow densely enough to serve mountain lions’ hunting needs and could be replaced be invasive grasses that are even more flammable.

“We need to do whatever we can to increase habitat connectivity, reduce the effect of massive fires and make sure we still have these magnificent animals in the park and in the region, for future generations,” Riley said. 

Understanding how mountain lions behave in a place like Los Angeles is part of developing a broader perspective on how people and wildlife share space in the world, said co-author and UCLA professor Daniel Blumstein.

“Studies like this,” he said, “where we ask how animals use and perceive their human altered world, are essential to better understand and manage the threats to our urban biodiversity.”

in News
Related Posts

Vivian Jenna Wilson Slams Elon Musk’s Claims on Social Media Post on Threads

July 26, 2024

July 26, 2024

Wilson Reveals Details on Controversial Billionaire, Has Had Enough By Dolores Quintana Elon Musk’s daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, reacted on...

Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order on Homeless Encampments in California

July 26, 2024

July 26, 2024

Los Angeles Officials React to Governor’s Strongly Worded Message  Today, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order that stated, “Governor...

Julia Holter to Perform at The Getty Center’s OFF THE 405 Summer Concert Series

July 26, 2024

July 26, 2024

Experience Avant-Garde Music and Stunning Views With Free Admission on July 27 The Getty Center’s annual outdoor summer concert series,...

Sloths Summer Night at La Brea Tar Pits: Free Museum Admission and Sunset Picnic

July 25, 2024

July 25, 2024

Experience Live Sloth Encounters, Curated DJ Sets, and Local Food Trucks on July 26 The La Brea Tar Pits will...

LA’s First Ninja Warrior Training Facility Opening Soon in Los Angeles

July 25, 2024

July 25, 2024

Facility to Offer Comprehensive Training Programs for All Ages By Susan Payne The first dedicated ninja warrior obstacle training facility...

(Video) The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills’ Celebration of One Year at Its New Location

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

Now at 9705 S Santa Monica, and filled with delectable cheeses, cured meats, fresh bread, and wines of every description,...

LA Times Announces 8th Annual Food Bowl Festival at Paramount Studios

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

Three-Day Event to Feature Over 40 Restaurants and Culinary Demos The Los Angeles Times has announced the details for the...

Go Go Bird and FoodBeast Editor Collaborate on New Chicken Sandwich, “The Reach”

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

Chef Brandon Kida and Reach Guinto Create Nostalgic and Exciting Sandwich Go Go Bird is one of the best fried...

Alfred Coffee Launches New Breakfast Burritos, Bagels, and Baked Goods

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

New Collaborations with WAKE AND LATE and Artissant by Artelice Alfred Coffee has announced the launch of its new breakfast...

USPS Honors Alex Trebek with Forever Stamp on His 84th Birthday at Sony Studios in Culver City

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

Ceremony Video Includes Tributes from Jean Trebek and Ken Jennings On Monday, Alex Trebek would have been 84 years old,...

Surprise Announcement: All Roads Pinseria + Enoteca is Now Open in Brentwood

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

The Grand Opening Celebration is Still Scheduled for Friday, July 26 In a surprise announcement on Monday, July 22, All...

Elon Musk’s Controversial Remarks on Trans Daughter Spark Outrage

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

Musk Repeatedly Deadnames His Daughter, Claiming He Was Tricked Elon Musk, in an interview with Jordan Peterson for the website...

Actor Rob Lowe Lists Luxurious Beverly Hills Estate for $6.6 Million

July 23, 2024

July 23, 2024

Mansion is Located in the Prestigious Franklin Canyon Area  Rob Lowe has put his estate in the prestigious Franklin Canyon...

Brentwood Mother Speaks Out After Assault, Raises Concerns Over Suspect’s Release

July 22, 2024

July 22, 2024

Carmina Lu, New Mother Attacked in Broad Daylight, Tells Her Story  I spoke to the victim of the recent sexual...

Kamala Harris Secures Democratic Presidential Nomination with Unprecedented Support

July 22, 2024

July 22, 2024

Over 1,976 State Delegates Pledge Support, Solidifying Harris as the Nominee By Dolores Quintana In one day, Brentwood resident and...