Los Angeles mountain lions hunt closer to human settlements than expected

Los Angeles is one of only two megacities inhabited by large predatory cats. Understanding how big cats interact with such human settlements aids development of strategies for their conservation. The authors of the present study used field observations and GPS radio collars to track 26 mountain lions in and around the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles. They identified the lions' prey and assessed how their preferred hunting grounds were situated relative to natural and humanmade landscape features.

The researchers found that both sexes tended to hunt closer to human development than expected, though just two of 420 kills were actually made inside developed areas. While males tended to prey on deer in woodlands near creeks and rivers, females hunted closer to human developments, making kills on average less than a mile from settlements.

The choice of hunting grounds may reflect areas where prey are abundant. The mountain lions' main prey, mule deer, are attracted to water sources and lush vegetation, including woodlands near natural water sources, as well as swimming pools and cultivated gardens in human settlements. Male mountain lions preyed on deer in areas of riparian woodlands, whereas females avoided these areas. The authors suggested that females may hunt in the more developed areas as part of a strategy to visit areas where prey are abundant while avoiding encounters with aggressive males.

While the study was limited to 26 lions in a single geographical area, the study area was unique among mountain lion studies in that the authors were able to track mountain lions along a gradient of human presence that included relatively remote areas of the Santa Monica Mountains and also areas within the second largest metropolitan area of the United States. The authors suggest that the hunting patterns of these mountain lions reflect the trade-off between an aversion to areas of human settlement and an attraction to prey-rich environments.