Scientists to Trap and Tag East Bay Mountain Lions for Study

No one knows exactly how many mountain lions live in the East Bay, but an ambitious study now underway seeks to make an accurate count of the big cats.

Starting this month, scientists will trap mountain lions, tag them with radio collars and take DNA samples from cats captured in the 1,100 square miles between Mount Hamilton and the Carquinez Strait. The idea is to not just learn how many mountain lions prowl the East Bay, but to chart their family trees, map their ranges and better understand how they share their territory with other creatures, including us.

“We know the cats are doing a really good job of avoiding us, but how are they avoiding us,” said Steve Bobzien, ecological services coordinator with the East Bay Regional Park District and a member of the Bay Area Puma Project team.

So far, the animals have lived up to their reputation for elusiveness; no cats have been caught despite several dozen cameras placed in areas where scientists think mountain lions are likely to be found. The Bay Area Puma Project is led by the Felidae Conservation Fund in collaboration with East Bay Regional Park District, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oakland Zoo.  

Zara McDonald, the executive director of the Marin-based Felidae Fund, said the East Bay’s mix of open pasture, dense forest, creeks, suburbs and city offer scientists a unique opportunity to study these so-called apex predators in “a rich mosaic of habitats.”

It's when pumas meet people that problems arise, nearly always the problem is the puma's. 

The killing of two half-starved mountain lion cubs in Half Moon Bay a year ago spawned legislation that gives wildlife officials more non-lethal options when big cats wander into human habitats. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that since 1986 there have been 13 verified cases of mountain lions attacking people, of which three were fatal. Hunters in California killed 2,255 mountain lions during the same period.

McDonald said many of the pumas killed by law enforcement, or by cars on highways, are young males seeking new territory after their mothers pushed them out to hunt on their own. Making it safer for mountain lions to navigate human habitats is a central aim of the project. 

[Have you spotted a mountain lion? Add the location of your sighting to Patch's mountain lion map.]

The mountain lions tagged by Bay Area Puma Project researchers will either be chased into trees by trackers using hunting dogs, or lured into cages with automatically closing gates. After they’ve been trapped, the cats will be shot in their hind legs with a tranquilizer that will give scientists 30 to 40 minutes to attach radio collars and take samples for genetic work and population estimates.

McDonald said she hopes the project will tag around a dozen pumas in the next 12 months. While there’s only funding to cover the first year of the project, the ultimate goal is to find the money for a study that runs as long as a decade.

Felidae Conservation Fund and the Bay Area Puma Project is hosting several community forums for people interested in learning more about the study:

Thursday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., 1121 64th Street, Oakland

Saturday, Nov. 16, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.,  Hayward Library, 27300 Patrick Ave., Hayward

Sunday, Nov. 17,  2 p.m. to 3 p.m.,  Livermore Library, 1188 S. Livermore Ave.