Several puma organizations agree that habitat loss is the biggest threat facing pumas, in the United States. California is 155,959 square miles and about half of the state is suitable habitat for pumas (MLF Mountain Lions in the State, 2020; State Symbols USA, 2020; Torres et al., 1996). The Mountain Lion Foundation claims that 46% of the state of California is suitable habitat for pumas, while the California Department of Fish and Wildlife state that 50% of the state is suitable habitat and the U.S. Forest Service mentions that 62% of the state is suitable habitat (CDFW Keep Me Wild, 2020; MLF Mountain Lions in the State, 2020; USFS Mountain Lions, 2020).
Female pumas usually need around 20 to 60 square miles, or 12,800 to 38,400 acres, of habitat, while a male usually needs about 100 square miles, or 64,000 acres, of habitat (CDFW Keep Me Wild, 2020; MLF Mountain Lions in the State, 2020; USFS Mountain Lions, 2020). There is one male in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California living in eight square miles (NPS P-22, 2020). This puma is the most famous puma and is known as P-22 (NPS P-22, 2020). He was the first puma to cross both the 405 and 101 freeways and survive (NPS P-22, 2020). He is surrounded by freeways and roads on all sides of his new territory, enhancing the issue of a lack of connectivity for pumas and other wildlife in major cities, like Los Angeles (NPS P-22, 2020).
Photo by Steve Winter from National Geographic
These fragmented pieces of habitat provide little space for pumas to roam to, limited prey options, increase conflict with humans and other pumas, and an increase in inbreeding (CBD & MLF, 2019). Inbreeding creates low genetic diversity and health issues like a kinked tail or heart issues, which weakens the health and longevity of the population (CBD & MLF, 2019; Ernest et al, 2014). Habitat connectivity can help reduce these issues.
Two Santa Ana Pumas with kinks in the tail. Image A has the kink at the base of the tail while image B has the kink at the tip of the tail. These two pumas are a part of a subpopulation with the lowest genetic diversity outside of the Florida panther (CBD & MLF, 2019; Ernest et al, 2014). Images taken from Ernest et al. (2014) study.
Wildlife connectivity is the ability of animals to move between core habitats, to maintain contact with distant populations, and to keep the gene pool strong (Williams, 2018). Pumas, like all species, need room and the ability to move among core habitats, migrate with the seasons, chase their prey, and adjust to changes in habitats caused by plant diseases, insect outbreaks, wildfires, droughts, and longer-term climatic changes and trends (Williams, 2018).
You can follow P-22 on Facebook and Instagram. You can help support the National Wildlife Federation Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing. All proceeds from purchases you make through the #SaveLACougar Campaign goes directly to helping fund the wildlife crossing, and you can even buy your own P-22 stuffed animal. You can also purchase a P-22 costume, just in time to celebrate P-22 Day on October 24th! This year the event will be virtual and will be a fun information filled day all about P-22 and his puma friends!
Literature Cited
California Department of Fish and Wildlife. (2020). Keep me wild: Mountain lion.
Center for Biological Diversity, & Mountain Lion Foundation. (2019, June 26). A petition to list the southern California/ central coast evolutionary significant unit (ESU) of mountain lions as threatened under the California endangered species act (CESA) . https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3agtail.biolgicaldiversity.org/documents /CESA_petition_-_Southern_California_Central_Coast_Mountain_Lions.pdf
Ernest, H. B., Vickers, T. W., Morrison, S. A., Buchalski, M. R., & Boyce, W. M. (2014).
Fractured genetic connectivity threatens a Southern California puma (Puma concolor) population. PLOS ONE, 9(10).
Mountain Lion Foundation. (2020). Mountain lions in the state of California.
National Park Service (2020). Santa Monica mountains: P-22.
State Symbols USA. (2020). Size of states.
Torres, S. G., Mansfield, T. M., Foley, J. E., Lupo, T., & Brinkhaus, A. (1996). Mountain lion
and human activity in California: testing speculations. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 24(3), 451–460.https://www-jstor-org.proxy.lib.miamioh.edu/stablepdf/3783326.pdf?refreqid=excelsior:7cf2fc2359c939f1ae815155ce216c68
U.S. Forest Service. (2020). Mountain lions.
Williams, J. (2018). Path of the Puma (1st ed.). Patagonia.
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