research
UC Davis Wildlife Health Center
Research began in 2001 by UC Davis Wildlife Health Center, to study the California Mountain Lion through tracking, GPS collars, scat, trail cameras, etc. The image below shows this collected data represented by yellow dots.
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Our project, I-15 Wildlife Crossing, focuses on the 7-mile highlighted stretch of Interstate 15, which is a major barrier for the east and west populations of California Mountain Lions that are represented by the yellow dots in this satellite image.
Major threats to California Mountain Lion populations around Southern California include, vehicle strikes, fire, isolated populations, and habitat loss. Overall, the California Mountain Lion is more at risk due to fragmentation and urbanization.
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The image below represent vehicle strikes, the red triangles, along our project area. The most recent death due to vehicle/Mountain Lion was December 2018.
Low survival rates along with inbreeding depression is leading these mammals to local extinction.
UC Davis Wildlife Health Center
Articles:
A highway runs through it: Mountain lions in southern California face genetic decay
by: Kat Kerlin
Southern California Mountain Lions’ Genetic
Connectivity Dangerously Low
Report Proposes Conservation Network Spanning Santa Ana
and Eastern Peninsular Mountains
by: Kat Kerlin
Documentary:
Documentary:
Focusing on the California Mountain Lion in the crossing area of Interstate 15 in Temecula California.
References
[1] Wildlife Crossings Guidance Manual
[2] Wildlife Crossings Structure Handbook
[3]Assessment of Wildlife Crossing Sites for the Interstate 15 and Highway 101 Freeways in Southern California