Science Spotlight

CDFW offers tips for keeping pets and livestock safe

Following several mountain lion sightings in Boulder Creek and forested areas of Santa Cruz County, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is reminding residents to take precautions to keep pets safe. In addition to recent sightings, there have been several unconfirmed reports of pets taken in the Boulder Creek area which could be attributed to any number of predators including mountain lions, coyotes or bobcats.

CDFW will be hosting a public meeting on mountain lion deterrence on June 17 at 1 p.m. at the Boulder Creek Fire Department. The meeting can also be attended virtually. Check CDFW’s mountain lion web page for the Zoom link and meeting information.

“Mountain lions typically avoid humans, but they can take pets and livestock easily if residents don’t take precautions. Implementing deterrence efforts can be effective,” said Haley Jones, CDFW Human-Wildlife Conflict biologist.

CDFW recommends keeping pets indoors whenever possible to protect them from all predators, including mountain lions. This recommendation applies everywhere in California but especially to residents who live in areas adjacent to wildlife habitat.

For cats that go outside, residents can invest in an outdoor cat enclosure, often called a cat patio or “catio.” Dogs should be kept inside overnight and ideally supervised while outside. Dog owners can invest in lighted collars as a visual deterrent or protective collars designed to lessen the impact of predator bites.

For outdoor animals such as chickens, ducks, goats or other livestock, residents can invest in enclosures and other improvements such as predator proof fencing.

For people who recreate outdoors, CDFW recommends going with a group and avoiding hiking at dusk and dawn. CDFW also recommends carrying a noise deterrent such as a self-defense alarm keychain.

“Even talking loudly when outside can be a deterrent. There’s been research showing mountain lions avoid areas where they can hear people talking. Other predators such as coyotes and bobcats may also avoid approaching when they hear humans,” said Jones.

Here are some additional safety measures that residents can take:

• Remove dense vegetation from around the home to reduce hiding spaces.
• Install outdoor lighting to make it difficult for predators to approach unseen.
• Secure livestock and outdoor pets in sturdy, covered shelters, especially at night.
• Deer-proof your property to avoid attracting a lion's main food source.

“Mountain lions don’t want to be near people, but they sometimes cut through our neighborhoods to get to suitable habitat. They’ll take advantage of an easy meal if they see one, so as pet owners it's on us to make small adjustments,” said Jones.

Residents are encouraged to report mountain lion sightings and encounters to CDFW through its Wildlife Incident Reporting system.

“The reports help us track and keep data current so we can inform communities,” said Jones.

Mountain lions live across much of California including along urban-wildland interfaces where they hunt for deer and other animals. They are ecosystem contributors and a crucial part of maintaining habitat biodiversity. However, it’s typically rare to see a mountain lion because they are elusive creatures. If you do see a mountain lion or mountain lion cub, do not approach it or intervene. Remember that adult mountain lions, when out hunting prey, may leave offspring somewhere safe for up to several days at a time. Questions and concerns can be directed to your regional CDFW office or by submitting a Wildlife Incident Report.

For additional information visit CDFW’s mountain lion web page and CDFW’s Human-Wildlife Conflicts toolkit.

Media contact:
Ken Paglia, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120

Photo by Kristen Perry, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District

An orphaned, severely underweight mountain lion cub was rescued by CDFW on Sunday, April 10, and taken to the Oakland Zoo where it is currently receiving treatment.

The cub was first spotted on April 5 by a hiker on a trail in Thornewood Open Space Preserve near Woodside in San Mateo County. The hiker took a photo of the cub from a safe location and shared it with staff at Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MidPen), which manages the preserve.

Scientists were unsure if the cub’s mother was still in the area and began monitoring trail cameras to gather information. On Friday, they received a photo of the cub lying down on the trail near where it was seen before.

Veterinarians at CDFW’s Wildlife Health Lab saw the photo and immediately knew that the cub was malnourished and likely an orphan.

A CDFW team composed of biologists Garrett Allen and Megan Senour and wildlife officer Max Holland responded but did not initially find the cub. MidPen staff continued monitoring cameras throughout the weekend. CDFW wildlife officer Gabrielle Stauffer also joined the response team.

On Sunday, the team received a phone call from MidPen saying they found the cub lying down near the same location. CDFW returned to the trail and this time the cub was still there. Senour approached the cub with a catchpole while Allen and officers stood by as backup. Senour was able to walk right up to the cub and secure it. The puma was placed in a safe enclosure and transported to the Oakland Zoo.

“The cub was aware of its surroundings but either didn’t have the strength to run from us or didn’t want to try. It was easier to capture than we expected, which goes to show how rough of shape it was in,” said Allen.

The female cub is estimated to be about four months old. She was covered in fleas and ticks and weighed less than half the normal bodyweight of a healthy cub her age. The Oakland Zoo has a full veterinary staff and is treating the lion with plenty of fluids and nutrients to give it the best shot at recovering.

CDFW senior veterinarian Dr. Deana Clifford noted that the department typically takes a measured approach to wildlife interventions.

“It’s usually best to keep wildlife wild, but we do occasionally see situations where intervention is warranted. When these situations occur, we have great strategic partners like our colleagues at the Oakland Zoo and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District,” said Clifford.

The public can report mountain lion sightings to CDFW through its Wildlife Incident Reporting system. Public safety concerns should immediately be reported to local law enforcement.

In urban areas throughout California, there are multiple threats to mountain lions including car strikes, toxins and illegal take. The Santa Cruz mountains offer suitable puma habitat including in parts of San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. However, it’s rare to see a mountain lion because they are elusive creatures.

“If you do see a mountain lion, do not approach it. Adult pumas, when out hunting prey, may leave offspring somewhere safe for up to days at a time. Seeing a young animal by itself does not indicate that it is an orphan or that intervention is necessary,” said Allen.

CDFW greatly appreciates the time that staff at MidPen spent assisting with the effort. From checking cameras daily to searching for and locating the cub on Sunday, the capture would not have been successful without their assistance. Although the kitten was in critical condition when rescued, it is responding well to veterinary care at the Oakland Zoo, and staff are cautiously optimistic she will make a full recovery, although she is likely to stay in captivity.

Resources:
Wildlife Incident Reporting System: https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir
Mountain Lions in California: wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion

It’s just before dawn in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Mono County. It’s a cold clear morning, a good day to be out experiencing a still very much wild area of California. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) biologist Justin Dellinger and a Wildlife Services houndsman are preparing gear to go out looking for fresh mountain lion tracks in this vast landscape. With the help of a team of highly trained dogs, Dellinger and the tracker are focused on the ultimate goal: Capturing a mountain lion and outfitting it with a GPS collar for research purposes.

This tracking effort in Mono County is part of a larger project to estimate mountain lion population size statewide. It began in the southern Cascades and northern Sierra-Nevada Mountains in 2015, and since then CDFW has solely undertaken or collaborated on similar efforts in the north coast, Modoc plateau and here in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. It’s tough work with long hours; trackers can spend days or even weeks in pursuit of lions. Yet tracking remains the gold standard method of gathering data in the mountain lion research world.

Notably, it takes both biologist and houndsman, each with a unique skill set, to make this team effort work. On this particular day, for example, Dellinger starts the ball rolling when he spots a fresh set of mountain lion tracks made the night before. The mark of the hind heelpad, measuring 52mm across, indicates that it’s a tom (male cat) heading southwest. The long stride suggests he’s traveling in a focused and determined manner – perhaps to secure a meal, locate a mate or confront another male trying to move in on his turf.

Dellinger radios the houndsman, who is astride a mule. The houndsman makes his way to the tracks with dogs in tow, where he assesses a wide variety of information – the time of day, wind speed and direction, topography, etc.

“The mental calculations (of the tracker) are rooted in decades of experience and know-how, but they’re still somewhat of an enigma to me,” Dellinger says. “But then again, houndsman feel likewise about the statistical calculations employed by biologists. It takes both of us, working together, to compile all the information and derive a solid population estimate.”

Over the next several days, the houndsman and the biologist follow the tom over miles of country, with the cat none the wiser about his pursuers. The team eventually catches up to the tom. The dogs masterfully trail him over boulders and around escarpments and tree him in a pinyon pine. The houndsman signals to Dellinger that the tom is treed. Dellinger then works his way into position to dart the animal. Success! Within an hour, the cat is asleep and Dellinger is able to affix a collar.

Yet despite the enormity of the overall effort, the day’s accomplishment is only one small step in the overall plan. Simply put, they’ll get a little rest and then wake up and try to do it all over again tomorrow.

As CDFW’s lead mountain lion biologist, Dellinger understands the need to study and understand Puma concolor only too well. “Lions are the apex predators across much of California, and apex predators can tell scientists a lot about the ecological wellbeing of a given landscape or ecosystem,” he explains. “If mountain lions are decreasing in an area, it’s likely that prey species are decreasing too. If mountain lions are exhibiting health issues, it’s likely that other animals in the ecosystem are experiencing similar issues.”

Because of those grants, this first comprehensive effort to collar lions around the state is now underway. It’s a huge and somewhat daunting task. California’s size and ecological diversity requires a divide-and-conquer approach, meaning that studies can only be conducted in one area at a time. Together, those “slices” of data will add up to a statewide picture. 

Getting the collar on the cat might be the most important part, but all of the data Dellinger collects on this trip will be useful. He’ll be able to compare tracks and remote game camera photos with GPS collar data to derive a minimum count of mountain lions in the area. For now, this is the best way of counting mountain lions in the western United States. In the future, CDFW may grow to rely on data gathering techniques that are more cost- and time-effective than tracking, and use more common skill sets. One possible alternative is developing thanks to the rapid advance of using genetics to monitor wildlife species without having to handle the animals. Scat samples can be collected and analyzed to provide a genetic fingerprint of the animal that deposited them. In theory, if enough lion scat is collected over a large enough area, CDFW can estimate the number of lions in the area.

But scat analysis is still a fairly new way of doing things, and until techniques can be tested, compared and perfected, CDFW will continue to employ the tracking “gold-standard.” The newer methods can be compared to the old, and it’s possible that the newer methods will outperform (i.e., be cheaper and just as reliable) the older methods in some areas but not other areas.

CDFW sees this statewide effort as a first step in monitoring and conserving the elusive, ecologically important mountain lion long-term in California. The project is still in its early stages and will likely continue for another six years or so. Dellinger is enthusiastically looking forward to the work. “It’s really cool because no other state has attempted such a comprehensive population assessment of lions … and  no other western state is as ecologically diverse as California,” he says. “Doing something this comprehensive requires working in a lot of very unique areas. It’s never going to be boring.”

Photos courtesy of Justin Dellinger

The tilapia skin is visible on the bottom of the bear's paw.


Veterinarians perform an ultrasound to check on the progress of the second bear's pregnancy.


Acupuncture needles assist with pain management.


After placing the second bear, the team moved the first bear to another location where another man-made den awaited.


CDFW staff work together to build a makeshift den for a soft release in Los Padres National Forest. A soft release involves putting the bear in a den to simulate hibernation, and leaving it to wake up on its own.

Two talented veterinarians, an environmental scientist and several dedicated staff members at the CDFW Wildlife Investigations Lab recently put their heads and their resources together to help heal a pair of adult bears that were badly burned in the Thomas Fire. The bears, which were treated at the same time as a young mountain lion with similar, less severe burn injuries, were released back to the wild last Thursday, after several weeks of intensive – and unusual – care.

CDFW Senior Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Deana Clifford was acting manager of the Wildlife Investigations Lab in Rancho Cordova when the first bear – an adult female weighing about 200 pounds – was captured inside of a backyard aviary in the Ojai area on December 9. With CDFW Environmental Scientist Christine Thompson coordinating, CDFW Wildlife Officer Jacob Coombs darted the bear and local veterinarian Dr. Duane Tom evaluated its injured paws and overall condition. Thompson then conferred with Clifford, who determined the bear might have a chance at recovery if treated quickly. The bear was put into a trailer for the seven-hour transport to Rancho Cordova, where Clifford was waiting.

By the time the bear arrived, Clifford had already reached out to Dr. Jamie Peyton, Chief of Integrative Medicine at the UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital, for help. Weeks earlier, Peyton, who works mostly on domestic animals, had mentioned to Clifford in passing that she had a particular interest in animal burns, and would be interested in helping wildlife if the chance ever arose.

Peyton created a homemade burn salve for the bears’ paws, and a process for sterilizing tilapia skin. Fish skin, which contains collagen, is often used by doctors in Brazil to bandage human burns. The technique is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States, and had not been tried on veterinary patients.

To help keep the tilapia skin in place, Peyton cut pieces to exactly match the size of the bear’s paws and then sutured them over the wounds while the bear was under anesthesia. Additional temporary wrappings, including rice paper and corn husks, were added, with the intention of stretching out the amount of time it would take for the animal to chew down to the fish skin bandage. “We expected the outer wrapping to eventually come off, but we hoped the tilapia would keep steady pressure on the wounds and serve as an artificial skin long enough to speed healing of the wounds underneath,” Peyton said. She also used acupuncture to aid the bear with pain management.

The original plan was for Peyton to come to the lab weekly to check on the bear’s progress. But within just a few weeks, two more burn patients arrived from the Thomas Fire. A second adult female bear, found relatively close to where the first one was found, was brought to the lab by Thompson on December 22. And on December 23, the young mountain lion arrived from Santa Paula. The experimental tilapia treatment was extended to the two newcomers as well.

Of the three animals, the mountain lion’s injuries were the least severe. Because of his young age, he was earmarked for placement in a wildlife rescue facility. The two bears were in much worse condition, with oozing wounds and, in some cases, paw pads that were completely burned off. But because the bears were older and stronger, the veterinarians hoped to return them to the wild if their injuries could be healed.

To complicate matters further, on December 28, during a routine burn treatment, Clifford’s team performed an ultrasound on each bear, and found that the second bear was pregnant. The quest to heal the mother-to-be was now a race against time.

“That was a game changer for us, because we knew it wouldn’t be ideal for her to give birth in confinement,” Clifford said. “We aren’t really set up to have a birth at the lab holding facilities, and we knew there was a high probability that she could reject the cub, due to all the stress she was under. We needed to get her back into the wild as quickly as possible.”

While Clifford and Peyton continued to focus on healing the animals’ injuries, Thompson started scouting out potential release locations. Since both bears needed to be transported back to Southern California, it was decided to try to return them at the same time – albeit not exactly in the same location – in order to make the best use of staff time and resources.

Both bears’ original habitat had been destroyed by fire, so Thompson scouted for two new locations that fit several parameters. The bears needed to be close to their home range, but not within the burn area, and near ample food and water sources. She also wanted to keep them as far away from each other as possible. “A lot of wildlife habitat was destroyed by the fire, and there are already a lot of displaced animals roaming around,” Thompson said. “So there’s a good chance that whatever location we choose is already occupied by other bears, but only they know exactly where that designated territory is. The best we can do is make an educated guess, and place them as deep into wild lands as possible.”

Taking the rapidly changing winter weather reports into careful consideration, the team chose Wednesday, January 17, as the target date to get on the road. That morning, Peyton came to the Wildlife Investigations Lab one last time and both bears were immobilized for a final treatment for their feet. Then the bears were placed into separate transport trailers for the long journey home. Simultaneously, in the Los Padres National Forest, Thompson and Tom spent the day digging dirt and moving logs to create a winter den for each bear.

“At this time of the year, most bears have established dens for the winter, but since these bears won’t have time to create a den, we hope to improve their chances of survival by creating a den for them so they have a home base and shelter right away,” Clifford explained.

The team arrived late Wednesday night, and both staff and bears were hosted overnight by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. Early on the morning of January 18, Clifford, Thompson, Coombs, Tom and their team drove the bears deep into the forest for the final leg of their journey. One at a time, each bear was sedated and carefully placed into her den, while the team finished constructing a shelter around the slumbering animal. The bears are about five miles apart, as the crow flies, and each is wearing a satellite collar so CDFW can monitor her movements and survival post-release. Staff also placed trail cameras near each den.

“We’re really hopeful that these novel treatments accelerated the healing for these bears and provided them the best odds of survival,” Clifford said. “It’s especially good to know that we’ve maximized the odds of survival for the cub on the way. We don’t know exactly when it will be born, but hopefully we’ll be able to monitor the movements of the mother via satellite, and that will give us an indication of how things are going.”

For Clifford, the entire experience wasn’t simply about saving the lives of two bears. The bigger picture involves the body of knowledge the experimental treatment provided – both to the Wildlife Investigations Lab team and to the UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

“This treatment has the potential to be used successfully on all kind of burn patients, both domestic and wild,” Clifford said. “For us, at the Wildlife Investigations Lab, it’s been an invaluable experience because California’s changing climate means that we’re likely to see more wild animals impacted by catastrophic wildfires. By better understanding what resources are needed to care for injured wildlife and what treatment techniques increase healing speed, we can make the most informed treatment decisions, reduce animals’ time in captivity and provide guidance to other facilities caring for burned animals.”

CDFW photos. For more, please see CDFW’s Flickr photo album: Thomas Fire Bears.

Top photo: The first bear rests in her holding enclosure after her treatment is finished. The outer wrapping on her feet (made of corn husks) will delay her efforts to chew off the tilapia skin bandages underneath.

The latest issue of California Fish and Game, CDFW’s scientific journal, is now available online. This century-old quarterly journal contains peer-reviewed scientific literature that explores and advances the conservation and understanding of California’s flora and fauna.

The endangered salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) graces the cover of California Fish and Game, Volume 103, Issue I. Researchers ventured into the pickleweed to study the tiny mouse, which is endemic to the marshes surrounding the San Francisco Estuary Bay and its tributaries. The mice were fitted with tiny radiotelemetry collars and tracked for three years. Researchers documented some curious behavior in the resulting paper, “Potential evidence of communal nesting, mate guarding, or biparental care.” The accompanying photos provide a fascinating glimpse into an active nest.

Another paper, “Documentation of mountain lion occurrence and reproduction in the Sacramento Valley of California,” explores the potential for mountain lions to exist in fragmented habitats if there is adequate connectivity with larger blocks of suitable habitat and sufficient prey. The study used camera traps to document populations of mountain lions in the Sacramento Valley’s Butte Sink, which is made up of relic riparian habitats interspersed with managed wetlands. The photos show healthy mountain lions moving through habitat that has long been considered unsuitable due to extensive agricultural and urban development.

The article, “Mussels of the Upper Klamath River, Oregon and California,” reports on sampling efforts that expand existing baseline population data on freshwater mussels in the Upper Klamath River. The sampling efforts may ultimately assist with protection, mitigation and enhancement efforts for large bi-valve species.

The final paper provides insights into the benefits deer and elk derive from licking mineral rocks. Researchers took samples of “lick sites” that were used by California black-tail deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) and Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) in the Klamath Mountains, Siskiyou County. After performing a detailed analysis of the elemental content of each lick site, the researchers concluded that each lick site offers a different smorgasbord of minerals, and in varying concentrations. The study’s objective is to begin identifying, classifying, and analyzing important mineral lick sites to benefit future ungulate management efforts.

As it has for the past 103 years, California Fish and Game continues to publish high-quality, peer-reviewed science that contributes to the understanding and conservation of California’s wildlife. We look forward to witnessing the contributions of the next installment.

Download the entire Winter Issue 103 (PDF) in high resolution, or browse individual articles in low resolution.