Mountain lions in Los Angeles turned into night owls to escape humans

To escape from people, mountain lions (Puma concolor) inside greater Los Angeles area they change their activity patterns. Big cats that live near areas where people walk, run and bike are increasingly nocturnal than mountain lions that live in more remote areas. The findings are detailed in a dossier. The study was published in the journal Nov. 15 Biological Protection.

“People are increasingly enjoying recreating in nature, which is a wonderful thing,” said study co-author Ellie Bolas, a PhD candidate at the University of California, Davis. he said in a statement. “This flexibility we see in mountain lion activity allows us to share these natural areas together. “Mountain lions do this to make coexistence happen.”

(Relating to: How to survive a mountain lion encounter?)

mountain lions top carnivorous predators They feed on a wide variety of meat, including deer, wild boar, rabbit and coyote. During mountain lion attacks on humans are rareBut they can still be dangerous for walkers, runners or cyclists who spend time in their habitat. Mountain lions in Los Angeles area face off lots of difficulties– busy roads where cars frequently crash, wildfire threatexposure to rodenticides, low genetic diversity and a fragmented habitat. Usually mountain lions I prefer to stay away from people completely. However, in the metropolitan area where more than 18 million people live, natural areas where mountain lions and other wild animals live are also used extensively by recreation enthusiasts.

inside new studyThe team was curious about whether and how mountain lions adjust their activity in response to recreationists. Them Tracked the movements of 22 mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains and the surrounding area of ​​the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area between 2011 and 2018.

The lions were also fitted with GPS and accelerometer collars as part of a long-term study conducted by biologists from the National Park Service. Set analyzed collar data and we measured how much human recreation was available in the area using a database of GPS-tracked activities that users chose to make public.

“These results are really important in showing how humans are impacting wildlife in less obvious ways than killing them with vehicles,” said Seth Riley, co-author of the study and chief wildlife ecologist for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. he said in a statement. “The study also continues to reveal the surprising fact that a large population of predators persists in one of the world’s largest urban areas. This would not be possible if mountain lions did not adapt to human activities in this way.”

The results showed Griffith Park had the highest level of recreational activity. The Santa Susana Mountains and Los Padres National Forest were the least active. Mountain lions in these more remote areas were also generally more active at dawn and dusk.

Female mountain lion P13, in the central and western Santa Monica Mountains least nocturnal animal. In general, females were more active near sunrise and during daylight hours compared to males. By teamThis is to prevent them from overlapping with male lions that could potentially pose a threat to them and their cubs.

(Relating to: Culver City is home to a unique cat and coyote conflict.)

most nocturnal animals were two male mountain lions Those who live in small, isolated natural areas with many trails, high levels of recreation, and surrounded by human development and highways. Both individuals had two of the smallest home ranges ever recorded. The study’s most nocturnal lion (a male identified as P41) lived in the Verdugo Mountains, a small mountain range that spans several cities.

P22, one of the region’s most famous mountain lions, chose to stay out of the spotlight. “Hollywood Cat” He managed to cross two busy highways as a young lion to gain local fame and earn a home in Griffith Park. P22 was the second most nocturnal lion studied and one of the oldest cats in the study. HE died in 2022 when I was about 12 years old.

By teamThe urban experiences of P41, P22 and others in the study show how mountain lions try to avoid humans rather than adapt to them. They also believe these findings offer a suggestion. hopeful example of living together Between humans and wild animals in a dense human population.

But it’s not just up to the mountain lions. People have a role to help protect themselves, their pets, and mountain lions by recognizing that dawn or dusk is prime time for mountain lion activity. The authors also I request you to be careful while driving at night.Mountain lions living in densely populated areas are more likely to be active.

“Even something as innocuous as entertainment can potentially increase the other stressors we bring into their lives by changing the amount of energy they have to expend on hunting and other needs,” Bolas said. “But we can feel optimistic that they are flexible about the timing of their activities. “Coexistence is happening, and it’s largely thanks to what mountain lions do.”