California Designates Six Mountain Lion Populations as Threatened Under State Endangered Species Act

The California Fish and Game Commission has formally conferred permanent protection upon six distinct mountain lion populations spanning Central and Southern California by classifying them as "threatened" under the California Endangered Species Act. This regulatory action, which follows a seven-year petitioning phase, establishes a legal directive for all state agencies to implement measures safeguarding these cougar subsets. The protected geographic areas explicitly encompass the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Central Coast, alongside the Santa Monica, San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and Santa Ana Mountains, in addition to the Eastern Peninsular range. This designation marks the first time California has recognized pumas as a threatened species under the state law.

The threatened status mandates that state agencies develop mitigation strategies for any new construction projects situated near these critical habitats, ensuring development minimizes adverse ecological effects. Conservation advocates anticipate this listing will elevate the priority for securing conservation grants and intensify regulatory restrictions targeting toxic anticoagulant rodenticides, which pose a substantial hazard to the species' viability. State wildlife officials note that habitat fragmentation, caused by roadways and urbanization over the last two centuries, severely limits gene flow, leading to isolation and inbreeding. Populations in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana mountains, for instance, show some of the lowest genetic diversity documented in the West.

An estimated 947 mountain lions reside within the newly protected regions, which constitute about one-third of the approximately 4,172 mountain lions estimated to be in California overall. Commissioner Erika Zavaleta stated that taking action now is preferable to waiting until the entity faces imminent extinction. While the listing aligns with the existing 1990 ban on sport hunting via Proposition 117, it also requires state agencies, such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, to reconcile management differences, as permits can still be issued for 'management' purposes, including addressing conflicts with livestock.

As a direct response to connectivity challenges, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is nearing completion over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills, with an anticipated opening in late 2026 or early 2027. Construction on the crossing began in 2022. This overpass is designed to be the world's largest wildlife crossing, connecting protected lands in the Santa Monica Mountains with the Sierra Madre Range, thereby enhancing mobility and safety for mountain lions and reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions on the congested highway. The overall effort supports California's broader 30x30 goal to conserve 30% of state lands and coastal waters by 2030.