‘[They] are facing an extinction vortex’

California officials are stepping in to protect one of the state’s most iconic and recently vulnerable animals: the mountain lion.

What’s happening?

After years of warnings from scientists, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to list several mountain lion populations along the Central Coast and in Southern California as threatened under the state’s Endangered Species Act. 

Advocates said the big cats are running out of time. “These populations are facing an extinction vortex,” Tiffany Yap of the Center for Biological Diversity told CalMatters.

While California is home to roughly 4,200 mountain lions, the newly protected groups account for about one-third of them, and they are increasingly cut off from one another by highways and expanding suburbs.

Scientists said the isolation is taking a visible toll. Without new genetic diversity, experts warned, some of these populations could disappear within decades.

The new listing makes it illegal to harm the animals without a special permit and could trigger stronger habitat protections when new roads or developments are proposed.

Why are these lions so important?

Lions might be predators, but they play a crucial role in keeping ecosystems balanced.

By preying on deer and other animals, they prevent overgrazing, which helps forests and grasslands stay healthy. When large predators disappear, the ripple effects can be dramatic. 

Research from Kenya, for example, shows how the loss of key species can trigger cascading damage across entire ecosystems.

There are also human stakes. As cities sprawl farther into wild spaces, animals are pushed into tighter corners. That can increase the chances of dangerous encounters and costly infrastructure damage.

What’s being done about these lions?

California is already investing millions in wildlife crossings, which are overpasses and underpasses that help animals safely cross busy highways. 

The new threatened status could also strengthen habitat protections under state environmental laws, helping ensure future development considers wildlife corridors and open space.

Luckily, in other parts of the world, conservation efforts have proved to be fruitful.

In one recent effort, a Wyoming rancher helped organize one of the largest international lion relocations ever undertaken to restore balance in African ecosystems.

For regular people, supporting habitat connectivity can start close to home. Backing local land conservation efforts and learning about how native ecosystems function all make a difference.

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