DANIELLE DUPUY
Staff Writer
The recent killing of a local female mountain lion by her mate has created concern for residents about the safety of living close to the predatory life of the Santa Monica Mountains. According to Malibu Times the mountain lions living up north and in the Santa Monica Mountains have not yet harmed anyone, but residents fear that they can attack children and small animals at any time. There is much debate over whether the local male mountain lion, called P1 by researchers, should be hunted or left alone to live coexisting with residents.
Wildlife advocates continue to stress the importance of humans peacefully living with mountain lions in Malibu, yet other outdoor experts says there is still a great risk for mountain lions launching unexpected attacks on humans and pets.
In an interview by the New York Times with Silicon Valley resident Raymond Lane, Lane said mountain lions do not belong in neighborhoods and should be removed. Lane said, “It’s a beautiful animal but mountain lions do not belong in our neighborhood. The answer is to take them out.”
Biologist Seth Riley from the National Park Service explained that the male mountain lion probably killed his mate over jealousy or territory issues, and that there is no threat to humans in the area. Riley said, “Mountain lions are dangerous carnivores, but they are more dangerous to deer and other four-legged predators than they are to humans, because they see humans as competition.”
Christa Mann, a Southern California field representative from The Mountain Lion Foundation said without mountain lions, the top predator, the ecosystem would change. However, if confronted by a mountain lion Mann said to not run, stand ground and try to be as big as possible.
09-19-2005