Is this a problem, or a solution?
Do we really want a healthy lion population in the Santa Monicas, considering the population growth there? It means more attacks on humans over time as the populations encroach on each other. There’s a similar problem in the Verdugos, I think. They do help keep the deer population in check, but that problem could be solved with hunting.
Jeez. Why not trap one elsewhere and transplant it to the Santa Monicas…say one every two years or so. Instant genetic diversity at a tiny fraction of the cost of a bridge project.
How about getting rid of the mountain lions and replacing them with cheetahs? They don’t kill adult humans or actors (Although one did try to eat Adam Sandler on safari, the two soon became friends). Cheetahs are prettier than mountain lions and they do kill deer (keeping DC zoos blessedly deer free). They can also accelerate onto the expressway and run with traffic without causing pile ups or congestion, as long as LA drivers don’t freak out.
Cougar Town. Huh.
When I lived in Southern California, the problem was with coyotes. I couldn’t even let my kids play unsupervised in our fenced backyard because of what they did. One time, one flew over in a hot air balloon, and tried to drop an anvil on the kids. Another time, one (it may have been the same one) swooped down with a skyrocket tied to its back and tried to scoop them up — but the rocket ran out of fuel too soon, and it crashed into the other side of the fence….
Coyotes have been a significant problem, and they’ve been moving East, already establishing a perimeter around Washington DC. Thing is, if they manage to drop a grand piano on Obama and Biden, at some press conference, I can’t say that they’re many failures were in vain. Obviously the Road Runner had much greater situational awareness than either of them (though I’ve encountered garden slugs with more situational awareness than Joe Biden), along with tactical flexibility. I’d compare the current shotgun-wielding occupants to Elmer Fudd or Yosemite Sam, but I’m reluctant to stir up cause for insult to esteemed cartoon characters.
Coyotes are a bigger problem than most people realize. Aside from all the troubles they cause in cartoons, they kill a lot of domestic animals in real life. On any given night I can step outside and hear a pack howling. Sometimes they even run through the neighborhood. I have been surrounded by a pack on a couple occasions and encounter individuals on a regular basis. It is not unheard of for them to attack dogs walking with their owners. Far more common is for them to stalk or shadow people.
They do kill a lot of deer. My dog is always dragging back a leg or a skull. Gross but that is what dogs do. A couple times of year, my dog will find the skull of a cat. They probably kill a lot more cats than what I find in the small area I walk in. Just the other day, someone plastered posters all over for a missing dog. Did someone think the dog was cute and steal it? Maybe but it is more likely that the pack got it.
And they leave empty boxes from “ACME” all over the place…