Bureau of Land Management
Originally Posted on May 23, 2017
Blog by Erin Hauge
There's an amazing variety of wildlife that calls the Cosumnes River Preserve their home! The area is home to coyotes, beavers and bobcats, cottontail rabbits, jackrabbits, minks, weasels, black-tailed deer, grey foxes, ringtail cats, river otters, and badgers and there's plenty of space and resources to provide safe haven for a mountain lion.
To date, it doesn't appear that there is a resident mountain lion on the Preserve, though the lion currently passing through could set up house if he or she thinks it's the right location. In recent years there have been sightings by reliable sources, tracks and several years ago a young lion was killed crossing Highway 99 trying to get to the Preserve. We know they come around and check out the area for suitable new digs. The recent sighting of a mountain lion on the Preserve confirms that another individual is exploring and figuring out where to go next.
Young mountain lions use riparian corridors along rivers to disperse and find their own territory. Rivers are nature's 'roadways,' full or wildlife and resources and logical paths for large cats who are trying to avoid humans, stay safe and find food. Deer also use these riparian corridors and since they're some of the mountain lion's favorite food, it's a win-win for lions to stay close to the river.
Unfortunately, lions looking for food may stray to agricultural areas in the Valley where small livestock is kept and, being very hungry, lions can get into trouble for taking livestock or for being accused of taking livestock. It can't be emphasized enough that the favorite prey of mountain lions is deer!
The Cosumnes River Preserve is an island for all the native wildlife that a Valley ecosystem supports. That's why it's so important to be able to document the presence of even one of these feline travelers passing through. As apex predators, lions are important for keeping habitats balanced and healthy.
While we're still hoping to capture a trail camera image of the lion who was seen last week, we know that the Preserve is large and the lion is smart - he or she could be anywhere! Once the lion has traveled down the Cosumnes River corridor from the Sierra and comes upon the large oak forest and savannah areas of the Preserve, he or she will remain largely undetected in these remote areas, trying to figure out if this will be home territory or just a stop over.
