Author: Elizabeth Bennett

The first 100 days of the Trump Administration have been characterized by rapid changes across the federal government. Our land, people, and wildlife will all be impacted by these changes—mountain lions included.  

Mountain lion populations are heavily impacted by human behavior. Policies at all government levels alter the lives of mountain lions. Recent federal policy directives targeting habitat, connectivity, and scientific research may have some of the most immediate impacts on mountain lions.  

Habitat Loss and Degradation 

Executive Order: “Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production”  

The current president issued an executive order on March 1, 2025, to increase logging in the United States, including in our national forests. The order calls to end the “onerous Federal policies” that have regulated timber production. The order calls for streamlined permitting and increased production by instruction to “take all necessary and appropriate steps consistent with applicable law to suspend, revise, or rescind all existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, settlements, consent orders, and other agency actions that impose an undue burden on timber production.” The order also calls for legislative proposals that would help avoid current regulations and protections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  

US Agricultural Secretary Rollins has since released a memo that designates 113 million acres of National Forest as open to logging in compliance with the executive order. US Forest Service Regional Foresters and Deputy Chiefs were then directed to develop five-year plans to increase timber production by 25 percent on National Forest lands. 

Most of the United States’ National Forests are in the western states and the primary range for our nation’s mountain lions. We don’t know the details of what will result from these orders, but they make clear their intent to prioritize speed and production over caution and environmental protection, which will likely result in the destruction of critical habitat for mountain lions and their prey species.  

“Rescinding the Definition of ‘Harm’ Under the Endangered Species Act” 

The current interpretation of the Endangered Species Act considers harm to a species as something that causes the species direct harm—such as physical injury—or indirect harm—such as damaging the habitat it needs to survive. On April 17, 2025, the USFWS (United States Fish & Wildlife Service) and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) released a proposal to rescind this definition of harm, essentially limiting the definition of “harm” only to direct harm.  

If this proposal is accepted, critical habitat for endangered species may become available to large-scale agriculture, development, and resource extraction regardless of the peril it may pose to endangered species.  

The critically endangered Florida panther is at incredible risk if this proposal is accepted. Florida panthers are the last of the eastern cougar population that was wiped out due to habitat loss and hunting. They were only able to survive in Florida’s undeveloped swamplands. The Florida panther has been on the endangered species list since 1967, and this protection has been part of what has helped the tiny population survive and move towards possible recovery. If their habitat becomes available for development or other uses, the Florida panther may not survive.  

Connectivity 

Executive Order: “Securing Our Borders” 

As discussed in our article on mountain lions along the US-Mexico border, the ongoing construction of the border wall will likely pose risks to mountain lions living near the US-Mexico border. Research along the border wall has been shown to be impenetrable to a wide variety of species, including mountain lions.  On January 20th, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order to continue border wall construction.  

Mountain lions in South Texas are most likely to be negatively impacted by border wall construction. This population of mountain lions is small, genetically isolated, and faces significant hunting and trapping pressure. The population relies on genetic exchange with mountain lions in Mexico. If lions are unable to cross, they will likely inbreed, which can lead to population declines. 

Executive Order: “Unleashing American Energy” 

Another common barrier to lion movement is our roads. Across the nation, wildlife crossings provide much-needed links between habitats for mountain lions. In 2021, the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) included the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP) initiative to grant $350 million to build wildlife crossings across the nation. This policy helps to address the connectivity needs of countless wildlife species, including mountain lions. 

On January 29, 2025, the executive order for “unleashing American energy” instructed agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds” for any project funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—including the WCPP. Many of the grants for wildlife crossings are on hold as a result with an uncertain future. The legality of this order has been challenged, with funding being restored in some cases.  

Many grantees remain hopeful that the WCPP will not shutter, and funds will return, mainly because wildlife crossings have true bipartisan support. In the meantime, the funding for these crossings remains uncertain—along with the future of the wildlife that need them.  

Threats to Scientific Research 

Executive Order: “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative” 

Recent executive orders have led to mass firings in the federal work force, and dramatic cuts to funding for scientific research. Most of these cuts to employees and funding have been carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).  

The federal employees at agencies like the USFWS and National Parks Service monitor and study mountain lions, educate the public on them, and manage and care for the public lands where they live. Without these employees and their work, our ability to learn about mountain lions and actively maintain their habitat may be at risk.  

Executive Order: “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Cost Efficiency Initiative” 

In addition to federal employees losing their jobs, cuts to scientific research also poses deep threats to mountain lions. Many of today’s most important studies on mountain lions are supported by federal research grants. These grants enable not only basic research on the species, but also studies to understand lions’ ecological impact, how humans are impacting mountain lions, and research on coexistence strategies. With less money to go around and fewer scientists able to join the field, much of this critical work may not continue or even begin at all. Threats to mountain lions may go unobserved and unrecorded, and discoveries about the species may not happen.  

A Difficult Time for Lions 

The rapid pace of change during the Trump Administration’s first 100 days have culminated in uncertainty and confusion. This assessment of new federal policies that could impact mountain lions is not exhaustive nor complete and will likely evolve as these policies unfold. Moreover, this discussion of short-term impacts doesn’t touch on the longer-term impacts of recent policy changes on the pace and severity of the climate crisis, which will certainly affect the long-term survival of mountain lions in the wild. 

When considering how federal policy may impact mountain lions, consider if it might negatively impact their habitat, their ability to move across the landscape, or researchers’ ability to monitor and observe their populations. If the answer to any of those is ‘yes’, the policy is likely a threat to lions.  

Here at the Mountain Lion Foundation, we will continue to monitor how changes to federal policy impacts mountain lions, and we will continue to advocate on their behalf. Click here to make a donation to support the Mountain Lion Foundation’s education, advocacy, and coexistence work across the country.  

By Josh Rosenau, Director of Policy and Advocacy

The Mountain Lion Foundation’s staff dug deep to oppose SB 818 in California last month, but we opposed that bill knowing it was just one prong of a multi-state push against carnivores. The Mountain Lion Foundation was formed as part of the campaign that passed Proposition 117 in 1990, the landmark law which blocks mountain lion hunting and other “take” in California, including the sort of hound chases SB 818 could have permitted. Protecting that landmark achievement was essential, but the work continues in California and beyond.  

A week after the SB 818 hearing, where our staff and volunteers held the line against mountain lion hounding, our team went back to the Capitol with a similar coalition and spoke against a bill that would allow hound chases of bears. Many of the same pro-hunting groups advocated in favor of that bill, and having failed with cougar chases, were more numerous the next week. Fortunately, the coalition of wildlife supporters carried the day again there. 

These efforts are unlikely to stop in California. County boards and hunting groups statewide are probing defenses that wildlife advocates have spent years building around wild carnivores. If they gain traction with such efforts, we can be sure that it will be touted far and wide. As they push to weaken protections elsewhere, the claim will be that this is a national trend, with broad support “even in California.”  

A dramatic example is playing out today in Oklahoma. There is no evidence of a breeding population of mountain lions there, but regular dispersals from states further west mean sightings and occasional depredations. A legislator proposed a law authorizing a recreational mountain lion hunt, claiming that this was necessary and appropriate even without a breeding population. This is not the first such attempt – see for example this failed bill from 2021. Unfortunately, this year’s effort was more successful; it passed both houses of the state legislature and is now on its way to the governor for a signature.  

Fortunately, another anti-lion bill in Wyoming didn’t make it that far. The bill, HB 286, would have rolled back almost every cougar protection under current hunting laws in the Cowboy State. There would be no hunting caps, trapping and snaring would be legal, and even the boundaries for hunting management zones would be erased from state law. Fortunately, wildlife advocates and professional houndsmen rallied a united front and spoke against this horrific legislation. In the end, no public testimony favored it, and the bill was rejected in committee. 

 These bills represent the tip of an iceberg. Other legislative proposals have been floated but not brought to a hearing or a vote, and proposals for reduced protections have been proposed by other political bodies across the West. These are probes at the defenses that wildlife advocates have put around the carnivores – animals that we know to be essential to the wellbeing of our wilderness, and to the good of our society. Failed anti-wildlife proposals like these are likely to be revived, zombie-like, to stalk legislative halls for years, seeking any opening or weakness to exploit. The Mountain Lion Foundation remains committed to our work opposing these proposals, and to building the broad coalitions that will be necessary to stop these alarming anti-carnivore bills. 

On April 22, 2025, Mountain Lion Foundation representatives and supporters gathered at the California State Capitol to oppose Senate Bill 818, which aimed to allow the sale of hound pursuit permits in El Dorado County. Roger Trout from El Dorado County and Sharon Negri of the Mountain Lion Foundation offered specific testimony in opposition to SB 818. 

A Unified Voice for Mountain Lions 

What began as uncertainty about how many people would show up to testify against the bill turned into a heartening display of unity. To our surprise and delight, the hearing room filled with wildlife advocates ready to stand up for mountain lions. Organizations including the Cougar Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Humane World for Animals joined the Mountain Lion Foundation, bringing staff and volunteers from as far away as Seattle. 

As supporters of the bill presented their case, a strong contingent of concerned Californians waited patiently to voice their opposition. Many had never testified at the Capitol before but felt compelled to speak out for mountain lion protection and science-based policies.  

Community of Mountain Lion Advocates 

Following the hearing, the Mountain Lion Foundation hosted a gathering at their offices to thank the many supporters who had RSVP’d and traveled to oppose the bill in person. This rare opportunity brought together passionate mountain lion advocates in one room, creating a space where they could connect and share their dedication to protecting these iconic animals. 

The room buzzed with personal stories — from glimpses of lion kittens playing on rural roads to trail runners sensing the watchful presence of lions they never saw. These shared experiences reinforced the community’s commitment to science-based conservation and coexistence. 

Roger Trout, Paige Munson, and Korinna Domingo of the Cougar Conservancy answered questions and facilitated discussions about mountain lion research and behavior, including how GPS collar studies reveal movement patterns during wildfires. This knowledge exchange strengthened the community’s understanding and advocacy skills. 

The Mountain Lion Foundation extends heartfelt gratitude to everyone who signed the petition, spread the word, and especially those who made the journey to stand unified at the Capitol. Your dedication made a tangible difference in this important wildlife policy debate. 

 

By Lou Galgani, Membership Coordinator

What does it take to protect wildlife? Below are just a few of the steps the Mountain Lion Foundation has recently taken to stand up for California’s native carnivores. During the 2025 legislative season California’s District 4 State Senator, Alvarado-Gil introduced Senate Bill 818 (SB 818) that would require the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to sell a permit to houndspersons to chase mountain lions in El Dorado County. This legislation illegally violates Proposition 117, which protects mountain lions from this type of harassment. SB 818 was proposed as a public safety and human-wildlife conflict bill, but the proposed bill would do nothing to improve either. The practice of proactively hazing mountain lions to reduce conflict with humans or domestic animals is not supported by any research.  

SB 818 was authored due to concerns over mountain lion coexistence in El Dorado County, with tensions reaching a tipping point after the tragic mountain lion attack on Taylen and Wyatt Brooks in 2024. Unfortunately, legislation like SB 818 won’t improve wildlife conflict in places like El Dorado County and could even make them worse. The Mountain Lion Foundation believes Californians deserve wildlife coexistence solutions that work—not SB 818.  

The Mountain Lion Foundation launched a campaign to oppose SB 818. We worked alongside other non-profits to develop educational materials, meet with legislators and press, wrote letters and analysis to the legislature, circulated a petition signed by more than 800 Californians, supplied expert testimony against the bill, and gathered supporters to stand up for mountain lions on the day of the hearing.  

 On April 17, 2025, the Mountain Lion Foundation hand delivered our petition—signed by more than 800 Californians—in opposition to SB 818. The Mountain Lion Foundation gathered mountain lion supporters to stand in opposition to SB 818 for the bill’s hearing before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources on Water on Earth Day. Mountain lion supporters arrived, clad in green, to testify against the unlawful, unscientific, and dangerous bill, SB 818. Supporters of SB 818 gathered as well, with matching red shirts and photos of Taylen and Wyatt Brooks in their hands.    

SB 818 author, Senator Alvarado-Gil, of the bill and their expert witnesses, El Dorado County Agricultural Commissioner—LeeAnne Mila, and the uncle of Taylen and Wyatt Brooks, were first to speak.  Their testimony was filled with pain over the tragedy in their community, concerns over mountain lions, and a belief that current wildlife protections were to blame—with hounding providing the solutions they looked for. Witnesses claimed that this type of hounding was supported by research, despite the fact there is no evidence. Claims about altered mountain lion behavior were also made, contrary to all current research. (Read more about the science of chasing mountain lions with dogs here).    The testimony also downplayed the real risks that hound teams would pose to mountain lions and their kittens, the dogs themselves, other wildlife, and public safety.  

According to the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) Journal, there were 63 fatal dog attacks on humans in 2024 in California. “Hound teams in other states have attacked pets and farm animals, and endangered wildlife, even injured people,”. Josh Rosenau, Mountain Lion Foundation Director of Policy and Advocacy. Many state parks have restrictions on dogs because research has shown that dogs off leash can harass or kill wildlife and damage ecosystems.  

After the witnesses for SB818 gave their testimony, individuals in support of the bill were encouraged to line up and give their name, hometown, and state their support. Many residents from rural Counties offered support, along with notable carnivore hunting organizations such as Safari Club International.  

Opposition to SB 818 was allowed two expert witnesses. The first was Roger Trout, a 35-year resident of El Dorado County and former El Dorado County Planning Director. Roger spoke before the committee stating,  The perception that lion behavior has changed is not because they are less afraid of humans…one significant factor is the 2021 Caldor fire…A scientific study proved that lions do not return to burned areas after a fire, likely because the taller vegetation has not grown back.” Roger continued, “There are also unintended public safety consequences that SB 818 would cause: hounds would be pursuing lions through private residential properties, putting people, pets, and livestock at risk.” Roger cited new coordination efforts by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the County Fish and Wildlife Commission that have resulted in fewer losses to depredation and an ordinance making it illegal to feed deer in El Dorado County. Reducing attractants to lion and other wildlife populations is a known solution for human-wildlife conflicts. “SB 818 would also interfere with the Sierra Nevada Foothills Mountain Lion Study that is currently evaluating effectiveness of non-lethal lion deterrents, including hazing…I found the proposed amendments in the bill analysis to be much more effective at addressing the issue,” concluded Roger. 

The next opposition witness was Sharon Negri, co-founder of the Mountain Lion Foundation and current Director of Strategic Partnerships. She understood the Brooks family’s concern for public safety after their tragic loss. “Unfortunately, this bill not only falls short–by actually increasing the risk to both the public and livestock–it is also illegal. We obtained two independent legal opinions, one from Greenfire Law and another from the co-author of Proposition 117. 35 years ago, California voters passed Proposition 117 prohibiting the take of mountain lions. These legal analyses concluded that using hounds to hunt, harass, or catch mountain lions is an illegal take and is a direct violation of Prop 117. Selling permits to recreationally hound mountain lions is exactly what California voters outlawed in 1990.” Sharon continued, “For decades the Foundation has provided safety education and helped livestock owners implement scientifically proven tools. We’ve built pen enclosures and fences and installed electronic deterrents. The people of El Dorado County deserve solutions that actually work. This bill will not do that.” 

After Roger and Sharon finished their testimony, opponents of SB818 were encouraged to voice their opposition. California residents from across the state and representatives from wildlife organizations lined up and spoke against SB 818. Following tense debate among Committee members and the supporters of SB 818, Committee Chair Limón moved to support the bill with amendments. These amendments included the formation of a grant program to support coexistence and further research on human conflict with mountain lions in El Dorado County. These amendments removed all mention of a hound pursuit program.   The Brooks family and Senator Alvarado-Gil rejected amendments, and without a quorum in the committee to finalize a vote, we all left uncertain about the future of SB 818. We did know one thing for certain—the mountain lions in El Dorado County were no longer at risk from recreational hound pursuit.  

After the hearing, the Mountain Lion Foundation invited attendees to a debriefing at our offices. Coffee and snacks were served to support guests who had travelled to the California State Capitol to stand up for mountain lions and sound wildlife policies. Roger Trout, Paige Munson, Science and Policy Coordinator of the Mountain Lion Foundation and Korinna Domingo of the Cougar Conservancy were present to meet everyone and answer their questions about the bill, El Dorado County, and mountain lion science. This time allowed for dedicated mountain lion supporters to connect, share, and decompress after a tense hearing. Some had never testified at the Capitol before but felt motivated to do so to protect the mountain lions they love. 

Attendees took the time to share their own personal stories. One individual had the fortune of witnessing a pair of kittens playing in the middle of the road on his way home from work, two nights in a row.  The kittens ran off the road when they saw his car lights. Others shared their passion about protecting wildlife from unwarranted persecution. Several mentioned they couldn’t imagine not making the trek to the Capitol to stand up for science, and coexistence with our mountain lions. Many were saddened that the tragedy of a human attack had been part of the fuel behind a bill as harmful as SB 818, even after Californians voted to protect mountain lions. Endurance athletes shared their experiences hiking and running in lion country, never having seen one in the wild, but “knowing they were there too.”  

Later, the Committee was able to reach quorum, ultimately deciding to pass SB 818 with amendments to the Appropriations Committee. We will continue to monitor the progress of SB 818 and remain grateful that the Committee voted to remove the language that threatened California mountain lions.  

The Mountain Lion Foundation is so grateful to all who took the time to sign the petition, inform others, write letters to your legislators, attend the hearing, and stand up for our lions. These dedicated people are the reason we were able to present a unified response to SB 818 and continue mountain lion protections in California. 

The Mountain Lion Foundation issued the following statement in response to the Senate Committee hearing on SB 818 on April 22nd, which initially proposed to establish a “Tree and Free” pilot program allowing private individuals with hounds to pursue and haze mountain lions in El Dorado County:

“Tuesday’s vote was a win for science, public safety, and California’s legacy of wildlife protection. The committee rejected the flawed and dangerous hounding permits originally proposed and called for investments in science-based research, public education, and effective non-lethal conflict prevention strategies.

The Mountain Lion Foundation extends our thanks to committee members for taking decisive action based on science and the needs of wildlife and communities. While we are disappointed that the bill’s author, Senator Alvarado-Gil, rejected the amendments, we thank members for rejecting a proposal that could have increased human-mountain lion conflict in the state. Members of the committee instead prioritized peer-reviewed research, local community engagement, and development of best practices for minimizing conflicts, which aligns closely with the evidence-based, coexistence strategies for which the Mountain Lion Foundation advocates.

Tuesday’s hearing saw powerful testimony from witnesses opposing the legislation, including Roger Trout, a long-time resident of El Dorado County and former Director of Planning and Building, and Sharon Negri, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at the Mountain Lion Foundation.

For over three decades, California has led the nation in protecting mountain lions from needless and ruthless persecution. Protections first signed into law by Governor Ronald Reagan in 1971 and strengthened by voter-approved Proposition 117 in 1990 have withstood numerous challenges. The Mountain Lion Foundation stands firm in our commitment to defend these protections.

The amended version of SB 818 removes the originally proposed ‘Tree and Free’ hound pursuit program and instead focuses on:

• Maintaining and enhancing CDFW’s human-mountain lion conflicts program in El Dorado County
• Developing public education and outreach on methods to minimize conflicts
• Creating a grant program to help implement protective measures for livestock and domestic animals
• Expanding scientific research on mountain lion deterrence methods and conflict prevention
• Requiring regular public meetings and legislative oversight of the program

 

Mountain lions play a vital ecological role in California’s ecosystems. As apex carnivores, they help maintain healthy deer populations and contribute to biodiversity throughout the state. The scientific evidence does not support claims that hazing with hounds would reduce human-wildlife conflicts; in fact, non-lethal coexistence strategies focused on habitat protection, use of deterrent devices around livestock, and public education have proven far more effective.

The Mountain Lion Foundation remains committed to supporting communities through education and implementation of proven coexistence strategies. Following the tragic incident in El Dorado County in Spring 2024, we provided extensive resources and support to help residents understand how to live as safely as possible among wildlife. These proactive approaches represent the path forward for human-wildlife coexistence in California.

“The Mountain Lion Foundation remains deeply committed to working collaboratively with El Dorado County residents and communities throughout California to implement effective, science-based solutions that protect both people and mountain lions,” said R. Brent Lyles, Executive Director of the Mountain Lion Foundation.

“People who live in lion country deserve solutions that will actually  work, and we know from decades of research and on-the-ground experience that non-lethal deterrents, secure enclosures for livestock and pets, and community education are the tools that will help communities enjoy the calm and peace that comes with life in the Sierras,” he added.”