A Bridge Will Help Humans and Lions Coexist in Los Angeles

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Are they in the city limits though? I doubt there are any in Denver proper or SF proper.

I have quite literally seen a mountian lion in the city of phoenix city limits so this is wrong.

[dave8721]

In the pre-Colonial days there were Panthers were Atlanta, New Orleans...etc now stand. Now the Florida Panther is at that is left, and its numbers are falling fast again after having recovered from near extinction in the 1970s.

[38 Geary]

There have also been mountain lions spotted and captured in SF proper. It's rare. Coyotes are much more common.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I have quite literally seen a mountian lion in the city of phoenix city limits so this is wrong.

You can probably see them in Salt Lake City as well. The city limits go pretty deep into the mountains. Other than that maybe San Diego? Portland? I don't know if that original claim is wrong. It depends on what they meant by "only major city" and "home to lions."

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Los Angeles Rams

Much like the LA Rams, these Rams are awesome to see in person, if you're lucky enough.

[ChrisLA]

Originally Posted by badrunner

You can probably see them in Salt Lake City as well. The city limits go pretty deep into the mountains. Other than that maybe San Diego? Portland? I don't know if that original claim is wrong. It depends on what they meant by "only major city" and "home to lions."

To answer your question yes this area is part of the city of Los Angeles. This is called a Sepulveda Pass the 405 Freeway cuts through the hills to connect the San Fernando Valley to the west side of Los Angeles.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

we had a cougar wander into chicago (city limits) from the plains one time years ago.

sadly, the authorities shot and killed it.

i would assume that authorities out west would be more readily equipped to tranquilize and relocate a wild animal like that.

What are you talking about?? Chi Party Aunt is still kickin' it!!

[MAC123]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

I'll never understand why some people insist on calling these amazing animals "mountain lions" (newsflash: they're NOT lions) when they already have their own perfectly good name - cougars.

They also call them panthers (panthers don't exist, that's a subfamily of cats), and various other names. It doesn't really matter all that much in casual conversation if everyone knows what you're talking about (which they usually do). Unless you're trying to be super specific that is.

[38 Geary]

There was one Bay Area town recently that tried to claim that it was a mountain lion habitat in order to maintain NIMBY status.

Woodside had found a clause in SB9 — an attempt to encourage more housing development in established neighborhoods — prohibiting development in the habitat of an endangered species. Local officials claimed the entire town was a habitat for mountain lions, which have not been added to the state’s list of “endangered” species but are “threatened."

https://www.sfgate.com/bay-area-politics...ns-SB9-new-housing-Bay-Area-16838396.php

[MAC123]

Originally Posted by homebucket

There was one Bay Area town recently that tried to claim that it was a mountain lion habitat in order to maintain NIMBY status.



https://www.sfgate.com/bay-area-politics...ns-SB9-new-housing-Bay-Area-16838396.php

The entire town? Did I read that right?

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by MAC123

The entire town? Did I read that right?

Correct. NIMBYs in the Bay Area, especially the wealthy Peninsula towns, are very creative. And powerful.

[MAC123]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Correct. NIMBYs in the Bay Area, especially the wealthy Peninsula towns, are very creative. And powerful.

That's absolutely insane. These people are crazy.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by homebucket

There have also been mountain lions spotted and captured in SF proper. It's rare. Coyotes are much more common.

I was surprised with coyote signage all over SF. Given the geography and high density development, I was surprised they were even able to migrate there...unless Wylie is taking the Bay Bridge into town.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by MAC123

They also call them panthers (panthers don't exist, that's a subfamily of cats), and various other names. It doesn't really matter all that much in casual conversation if everyone knows what you're talking about (which they usually do). Unless you're trying to be super specific that is.

Well yeah, it's not that big of a deal or anything, but I just find "mountain lion" to be a particularly dumb name for these cool animals.

A. They're not lions. They are an entirely different species in entirely different subfamily.

B. They live in all kinds of different environments, not just "mountains".


Besides, "cougar" is just a way better name all around.

[MAC123]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Well yeah, it's not that big of a deal or anything, but I just find "mountain lion" to be a particularly dumb name for these cool animals.

A. They're not lions. They are an entirely different species in entirely different subfamily.

B. They live in all kinds of different environments, not just "mountains".


Besides, "cougar" is just a way better name all around.

Yeah I usually use Mountain lion, cougar and puma interchangeably during any conversation, which can get confusing at times. Dunno why it's named that though. Probably people way back when who had never seen an actual lion (or maybe just a lioness?) and just heard stories about how they looked, and that's how it got its name.

[tech12]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Are they in the city limits though? I doubt there are any in Denver proper or SF proper.

Yes, within city limits:

• Video Link

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• Video Link

There are coyotes too. Both used to be an extremely rare sight, but have been increasingly common over the past couple decades, to the point that there are plenty of coyotes living in the city proper, and a growing number of cougars wandering around (still relatively rare). Cities are full of tasty cats and dogs and rats and raccoons and stuff.

[Steely Dan]

Coyotes in Chicago sometimes head down to the loop to have lunch at Quizno's. True story.

[eschaton]

There were some interesting articles a few years back about how eastern coyotes are basically evolving into wolves. They're getting larger, beginning to team up in small proto-packs, and take down white-tailed deer which otherwise have basically no predators (other than the occasional bear...though bears are mostly herbivorous, and not anywhere near as predatory as people commonly think).

This isn't as weird as it sounds, because wolves and coyotes freely hybridize. Recent studies have pegged the "eastern coyote" as only 64% coyote, with the remainder 13% gray wolf, 13% red wolf, and 10% dog. So over time the wolfy traits are being selected for so they can fill the vacant niche of apex predator.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by MAC123

They also call them panthers (panthers don't exist, that's a subfamily of cats), and various other names. It doesn't really matter all that much in casual conversation if everyone knows what you're talking about (which they usually do). Unless you're trying to be super specific that is.

Mountain Lion sounds way more badass

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Well yeah, it's not that big of a deal or anything, but I just find "mountain lion" to be a particularly dumb name for these cool animals.

A. They're not lions. They are an entirely different species in entirely different subfamily.

B. They live in all kinds of different environments, not just "mountains".


Besides, "cougar" is just a way better name all around.

Oof, Cringe, Not a good look, Ill let you unpack that but you need to get educated

Mountain lion is clearly more badass.