By Ed Maurer

Last week, the California Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted to grant 6 isolated mountain lion populations totaling more than 1,400 animals in Southern California and the Central Coast, protection as "threatened" under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).  

These protected areas are:

• Santa Cruz Mountains
• Central Coast
• Santa Monica Mountains
• San Gabriel Mountains
• San Bernardino Mountains
• Santa Ana Mountains and Eastern Peninsular ranges 

This makes it illegal to harm or kill them.  A major goal of the program is to reduce the extreme isolation these animals are facing due to habitat fragmentation, meager gene flow, vehicular traffic, rat poison and disease.

Kim Orbe, Conservation Program Manager, Angeles Chapter, asked us to take action on January 31, 2026. We did, and we helped usher in a new era for our beautiful big cats. Thank you all so very much!