When most people hear about mountain lion sightings along the outer edge of Pepperdine’s campus, they immediately assume that they are in danger. Not to worry. The mountain lions that inhabit the Santa Monica Mountains are far more threatened by the humans living in the area than we are by them.
Since 2002, when the first mountain lion was captured in the Santa Monica mountain range, the Santa Monica Mountains National Park Service Center has captured and released 21 mountain lions within the mountain range. Initially, the park specialists were not even sure that there were mountain lions living in the Santa Monicas.
When the specialists from the national park first caught each lion, they attached a radio telemetry device, a device similar to a GPS, to a collar for the mountain lion. This allowed the park to see exactly where each lion was at all times. From this tracker, the NPS center discovered that the lions each had a trail that they followed. This was an important discovery because it was the differences in the mountain lions’ trails that assured that they would be able to peacefully coexist.
Over the years, many of the trackers were deactivated, which caused the national park to be unsure of the mountain lions’ whereabouts, and some of the lions died or were killed. Currently, the maximum number of mountain lions in the area is 19, but the Santa Monica National Park is only still tracking eight out of the original 21.
Although most mountain lion species are doing well in most habitats, the mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains have a more difficult time surviving.
“It’s tough [because] they need a lot of space,” says Mary Holmes, a park ranger for the Santa Monica Mountains National Park. “Being in an urban environment, they are threatened.”One way mountain lions are threatened by living in an urban area is the difficulty to establish their territories. The number of mountain lions that live in the area need about 100 miles to live safely, but the Santa Monica mountain range covers only about 40 miles.
Because of the necessity for each lion to have its own territory so that problems don’t arise between those inhabiting the same land, each lion needs to be able to find a safe place to live within this cramped habitat. In order to do this, mountain lions will travel through different areas looking for somewhere to start their homes, which have proven to be dangerous for them.
There have been some cases where mountain lions have crossed freeways and have been killed by oncoming traffic.
In September, a lion was killed while attempting to cross the 405 freeway near the Getty Center.
Because of the limited amount of space that the mountain lions share, they are often forced to move out of an area if another lion is moving into the area. This was probably the case for the lion that was hit.
“We believe it may have made such a daring crossing attempt possibly because it was being flushed out of the area it was in by another male lion,” Woody Smeck, the superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, told the Los Angeles Times.
Another potential danger for the mountain lions living in the Santa Monica Mountains is being poisoned by eating infected animals. When mountain lions prey on rodents that have been infected by rodenicide, the chemical used to kill rats, they are indirectly poisoned and it can develop into the fatal skin disease, mange.
Currently, there are between four and eight mountain lions within the 40-mile range surrounding Pepperdine. There have been reports of mountain lion sightings along the outside of the school’s campus within the last year, but according to Pepperdine’s Department of Public Safety Deputy Director Dawn Emrich, “there hasn’t been any evidence to confirm these sightings.”
Holmes says the reason the mountain lions wander around the outside of the school is because of the abundance of deer in the area. Mule deer consist of 94 percent of the mountain lions’ diet because they are the easiest target for the wildcats and can sustain them for days.
Despite people’s fear of living in an environment inhabited by these wild cats, there are many reasons why mountain lions are not a big threat to the people they live near.
First, although mountain lions are North America’s largest wildcat, weighing anywhere between 100 and 200 pounds, they are quite skittish. Holmes says that, contrary to popular belief, “they live here and they’re aware of us, which makes them scared.”
They have no intention of hurting a human and will only do so if they feel threatened.
Second, there have been very few fatalities by mountain lions in the United States. Within the last 100 years, there have been only 20 mountain lion-related fatalities, most of which were before the year 1950. This can be contrasted by more than 300 dog-related fatalities within only the last 30 years.
As long as people are aware of their surroundings and the potential dangers of living near mountain lions, the chance of being injured or killed by one is slim.
For those who take advantage of the natural beauty of the Santa Monica mountains by hiking, running, or biking, it is important to be informed about safety precautions. Resources such at the website urbancarnivores.com and the Santa Monica National Park Visitors Center can serve as informative sources of reliable information for Pepperdine students and those in the greater Malibu area.
Fact Box: Although mountain lion attacks are rare, there are easy ways to help protect yourself from a potentially dangerous encounter with a mountain lion.
- Don’t leave food or water outside
- Make loud noises if approached. Ex. An air horn.
- Stand your ground.
- Be safe, cautious and aware of your surroundings.
- Don’t walk around in the mountains alone or at night.
- Don’t wear headphones while hiking.
- Be especially careful when running or biking through the mountains, as runners and bikers are targets for mountain lions because they trigger the wildcat’s instinct to chase.
- If an attack does occur, it is essential to fight back. Hitting a mountain lion in the nose or eyes will temporarily stun them and will affect them in the long run so you can get away safely.
