Officials say assumptions that such a program exists are ‘based in fear.’
By Andi Peterson/Special to The Malibu Times
State Parks officials have declared false the allegations made by local residents in a Jan. 15 article in The Malibu Times that the Malibu Creek State Park Preliminary General Plan involves a provision to breed mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains.
“We have no plan whatsoever to breed mountain lions. To think otherwise is false,” said Hayden Sohm, Malibu Sector Superintendent of State Parks.
The fears expressed by residents came after attacks in Orange County by a cougar that left one cyclist dead and another with severe injuries, and the killing of goats in Malibu by another cougar.
The general plan is a long-term vision for the park that identifies desired improvements and provides guidelines for protecting unique natural and cultural resources. The controversy regarding this issue stems from Goal NR-4 of the plan concerning the “protection, restoration, and perpetuation of native wildlife populations significant to the park and the wider region.” Guideline NR-4.3 states that “if determined scientifically feasible and viable, breeding and reintroduction programs will be implemented for animals of sensitive or threatened species.”
Sohm and Ray Sauvajot, chief of Planning, Science, and Resource Management for the Santa Monica Mountains, adamantly deny the interpretation by some Malibu residents that mountain lions are underneath the sensitive species umbrella.
“Nowhere in the document are mountain lions categorized as a sensitive species. People assumed something that is just not true,” Sohm said.
The animals defined as sensitive are located in the general plan’s appendix, and include four types of bat and one type of rat. Sauvajot said the threatened animals that are being considered for breeding and reintroduction programs are the steelhead trout and the spotted owl. Mountain lions are on neither list, nor are they considered part of the state-listed Threatened or Endangered Species category.
The term “mountain lion” is located later in the document and is included in a list of species known to live in the Santa Monica Mountains.
“I acknowledge that there is a concern in the community, but I think the assumption [that mountain lions will be part of a breeding program] is grounded in fear,” Sohm said. “There is a bigger issue here, though, that transcends the plan, and it’s the issue of coexistence between humans and wildlife.”
The National Park Service, in conjunction with California State Parks and the Nature Conservancy, is currently conducting an ongoing study in order to better understand mountain lion behavior. The study, which began two years ago, is slated to continue for one more year and may possibly receive funding after the three years are up to continue research. One male and one female lion are being monitored by National Park scientists via Global Positioning System (GPS) collars. Data shows the lions’ movements and habits throughout the mountains and is extremely valuable for researchers and their ability to understand these animals. While there are currently two identified mountain lions, there are believed to be between three and five living in the region. Mountain lions are naturally elusive animals, so an exact number is hard to pinpoint.
“We need to better understand these animals and their habits. As their habitat is continuously encroached upon and fragmented, it becomes a bigger and bigger issue. With better understanding, we can develop strategies for coexistence,” Sauvajot said.
Fragmentation, or the separation of habitat land into island-like parcels, is one of the main concerns for the wildlife researchers. Fragmentation occurs when land is developed, separating and shrinking natural living environments. It is a serious issue not only because certain animals such as mountain lions naturally require large acreage, but also because fragmentation can have a potentially negative impact on any species’ gene pool. The habitat “islands” act as a genetic restriction and because of the lack of genetic diversity, they can eventually lead to a species’ extinction.
Habitat corridors, pieces of land that connect the various islands, are a solution to the fragmentation problem, allowing certain animals to maintain their need for large expanses of land. These corridors, though, are also one of the main issues for concerned residents because some privately owned land in the area is considered to be at risk.
“When we talk about private land we are talking about areas of large acreage like ranches,” Sohm said, clarifying what is actually meant by “private land.”
Mountain lions did encroach upon private land in December, killing several goats that grazed on developer Brian Sweeney’s land between Pepperdine University and Malibu Creek State Park. Sweeney was granted a permit to kill the male cougar but because of protests from people in the community, ended up not acting upon the allowance.
As far as the general plan is concerned, state park officials are currently in the process of reviewing public comments. The draft will then be modified according to any necessary changes. At the State Park Commission meeting in April there will be another public comment session, and Sohm encourages residents to participate. The general plan in its entirety can be viewed on the State Park’s Web site, www.parks.ca.gov. Information regarding the April commissioners meeting will be available in the near future.