Mountain lions cleverly change their habits to avoid humans

Every day, we share our cities with an array of wildlife. From birds and insects to squirrels and raccoons, these creatures navigate the concrete jungles alongside us.

But in Los Angeles, a global city of over 18 million people, there’s another species sharing the living space – the elusive mountain lion.

A recent study from the University of California (UC), Davis, Cal Poly Pomona, and the National Park Service highlights an intriguing aspect of urban wildlife.

The researchers found that mountain lions of Los Angeles are shifting their activities, avoiding typically human-frequented spaces to maintain a safe distance.

Changing habits of mountain lions

As urban centers grow, wildlife is increasingly adapting to human proximity. The study revealed that mountain lions in areas with higher levels of human recreation were more nocturnal than their counterparts in secluded regions.

The cats in more remote places preferred being more active during dawn and dusk, showing a stark contrast in their activity patterns.

Flexibility in mountain lion activity

Ellie Bolas is Ph.D. candidate in the UC Davis Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and the study’s lead author.

“This flexibility we see in mountain lion activity is what allows us to share these natural areas together. Mountain lions are doing the work so that coexistence can happen,” said Bolas.

From 2011 to 2018, the research team monitored 22 mountain lions living in the Santa Monica Mountains and the surrounding region.

These mountain lions, captured and fitted with GPS and accelerometer collars, provided crucial data that was analyzed alongside a global database of GPS-tracked human activities.

Human impact on mountain lions

“The study shows how humans may be affecting wildlife in less obvious ways than killing them with vehicles,” noted Seth Riley, branch chief for wildlife at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

According to Riley, it is remarkable that a large felid predator still persists in one of the world’s largest urban areas.

Mountain lions responding to humans

In the most active recreational area, Griffith Park, mountain lions acted differently compared to those in the lesser active Santa Susana Mountains and Los Padres National Forest.

Generally, female lions were more active closer to sunrise and during daylight hours, likely to strategically avoid male lions who posed threats to them and their kittens.

Nocturnal mountain lions

Two male mountain lions living in small, isolated natural areas with many trails and high levels of human recreation were found to be the most nocturnal.

Both of these cats occupied two of the smallest home ranges ever recorded for male adult lions. P41, the study’s most nocturnal lion, lived in the Verdugo Mountains, a small range spanning several cities.

P22, known as the “Hollywood Cat,” preferred to keep a low profile despite the fame he earned after crossing two busy freeways to find a home in active Griffith Park. He was the second most nocturnal lion in the study.

P22’s story demonstrates how, when faced with increased human activity, mountain lions actively avoid human contact.

How humans can help these big cats

While mountain lions show remarkable adaptability, coexistence isn’t a one-way street. We can contribute by understanding that dawn or dusk is prime time for mountain lion activity, and by being extra cautious when driving at night.

Urban areas pose various challenges for mountain lions, including busy roadways, wildfires, rodenticide exposure, low genetic diversity, and fragmented habitats.

“Even something as innocuous as recreation can add to these other stressors, potentially altering the amount of energy they have to expend for hunting and other needs,” said Bolas.

“Coexistence is happening, and it’s in large part because of what mountain lions are doing.”

Peaceful human-wildlife coexistence

In the quest for peaceful human-wildlife coexistence, this research offers a ray of hope. It’s impressive how mountain lions, magnificent creatures who are integral to the ecosystem, are making changes to their behavior for a shared existence with humans.

Their adaptation serves as a gentle reminder of the resilience of nature and the potential for coexistence if both humans and wildlife are willing to adjust.

The study is published in the journal Biological Conservation.

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