Mountain lions are no strangers to the valley, but if one messes with residents’ livestock, it could be put to death, California Department of Fish and Game officials have said.
In two months, there have been about a dozen confirmed sightings or attacks on livestock in Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley area.
And people who are in direct danger of a mountain lion attack or who believe livestock to be in jeopardy are authorized to kill on the spot, said Don Kelly, who oversees Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Mateo counties for Fish and Game.
Eight lions have been killed under depredation permits in the past year, Kelly said.
“But we’ve issued probably triple that in permits,” Kelly said.
Kelly said there is a difference between mountain lions that prey on deer and raccoons and those that kill residents’ livestock.
A depredation permit was issued in Scotts Valley’s Summit area last year after some livestock were killed, and that mountain lion was executed, Kelly said. Another was issued in Ben Lomond, after some goats were slaughtered, but that lion was not killed.
Most depredation permits are issued in the southern part of the county, Kelly said.
He said the best defense against mountain lion attacks is to keep livestock inside a locked area.
According to the Mountain Lion Foundation, pumas (another name for mountain lions) are calm, quiet, solitary and mysterious. Typically, they hunt alone from dusk to dawn, and take their prey — mostly deer, but also wild hogs, raccoons, rabbits, porcupines and birds — mainly from behind. The large cats prefer areas with dense undergrowth and cover, and they will leave an area once a threat is perceived.
The Mountain Lion Foundation was a key player in the passage of the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990, which permanently bans the sport hunting of pumas in California and restricts depredation killing of them.
As some of North America’s largest predators, mountain lions play a crucial role in maintaining the health and size of deer populations. They can bound up to 40 feet while running, leap 15 feet up a tree, climb a 12-foot fence and reach speeds of 50 miles per hour in a sprint, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation.
It’s not rare to see the elusive creatures in the area. There are 50 to 100 mountain lions in the Santa Cruz Mountains, according to the Puma Project, a local group that uses radio and satellite tags to track the behavior of the large cats.
Last month, someone reported seeing a mountain lion in the tree-filled backyard of a Scotts Valley home early Christmas morning, according to the Scotts Valley Police Department.
Just the night before, a Santa Cruz couple found their two pygmy goats slaughtered in a suspected mountain lion attack. Then, last week, the same couple awoke to find another of their pet goats killed.
On Jan. 11, a dead mountain lion was seen on the southbound side of Highway 17, near the Los Gatos cat statues.
Kelly said it is not uncommon for mountain lions to be struck and killed by vehicles.
“It does happen,” he said. “The mountain lion killed on Highway 17 was the third lion killed by a vehicle in the last two months.”
Also recently, two deer killings that appeared to be mountain lion attacks, near Pasatiempo Golf Course and on Graham Hill Road, were investigated by Fish and Game officials.
Police advise those who see a mountain lion not to run, turn away or bend down. It is best to maintain eye contact, shout and try to appear larger. Residents should be mindful of pets and children who are outside between dusk and dawn.
At a glance
• To report a mountain lion attack, call the California Department of Fish and Game at 649-2810. The Puma Project can be reached at cw******@gm***.com.
