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Take a Hike | Commentary by Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel
| Sunday, Aug 16, 2015

DianneErskineHellrigelP-32 was a young, 21-month-old mountain lion that was dispersing. Due to the lack of animal corridors in our county, he was forced to cross freeway after freeway – four in all – before he met his end near Castaic when he tried to cross Interstate 5 to get from the Los Padres Forest to the Angeles National Forest.

It is a shame that these animals are routinely killed on our highways due to a lack of crossings. He managed to cross the 101, the 23, the 118 and the 126. But he was finally hit on the I-5 and suffered internal injuries and a broken leg.

The driver didn’t stop. The driver didn’t report it. P-32 was left on the side of the freeway to die of his injuries. The body was picked up by Fish and Wildlife officials, and a necropsy was done.

P-32 was born in the Santa Monica Mountains and was the only male that wandered this far north into other, new regions – which is what the cats need to do for survival. The easier they can travel from one habitat island to another insures genetic diversity.

p32It is important that we try to make the linkages safe for these animals. This should be a priority instead of something we think about later when it will cost millions to build special bridges or under-crossings. These important wildlife corridors should be part of the initial freeway project or whatever human “improvements” we do as we spread farther and farther into their land.

Our major predators should not have to risk their lives to migrate from one habitat to another. It is a huge challenge for them and usually ends up in their deaths.

When a lion disperses, he is made to leave the habitat of his birth. The last lion that was hit on I-5 was leaving Towsley Canyon and was hit almost immediately on I-5 at Calgrove. He made it only steps from his birthplace.

p32pawsBy comparison, the dispersal of P-32 went very well. He did a great job making it to the Los Padres Forest, but then, it is theorized that another lion chased him out of the Los Padres, and he was headed for the proposed Castaic wilderness area when he was hit and killed.

These animals are running out of places to go. They are running out of sanctuary they badly need. They are lacking the genetic diversity they need for the survival of the species.

P-32 is the twelfth mountain lion killed since studies began in 2002 and mountain lions were tracked. P-32 was tagged when he was only 4 weeks old. And now, 17 short months later, he’s dead.

How long will we allow this to go on? Wildlife fencing and a simple corridor could have saved his life. His sister also tried to disperse but found the freeways too daunting and returned to the Santa Monica Mountains. She is still alive.

p32necropsyThe necropsy will determine if he was in good health, which he appeared to be. It will also determine if he was exposed to toxins such as rodenticides, which are also killing our lions.

I am in awe of these lions. I have seen them while hiking in the mountains 20 times. Mostly they wanted no part of me and were not aggressive. One cat growled at me, but then, she had a kitten nearby. I took heed to that warning and moved away.

They are part of our natural world, and we need to make sure they can survive in our world, as well. Let’s improve the linkages and let these animals be.

 

Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel is executive director of the Community Hiking Club and president of the Santa Clara River Watershed Conservancy. Contact Dianne through communityhikingclub.org or at zuliebear@aol.com.

 

dispersal_p32

 

Comment On This Story
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33 Comments

  1. Dave Warburton says:

    You are absolutely 100% correct. Wildlife crossings should be included in all major road projects in SoCal as a routine policy. The cost of these should be accepted and written into the budget for each project.

    Existing major highways need to be retrofitted with crossing for wildlife ASAP.

    Public pressure needs to be brought upon our state and federal legislators to make this happen. How do we do this?

  2. Melissa says:

    I have read news articles about this particular animal in the past when he successfully crossed 101. When I saw the latest info on him, I couldn’t stop crying.
    How many more of these majestic big cats will lose their lives before humans do all that is possible to save the species from mankind?

  3. Gabriel says:

    I totally agree 100%…. This is something that should have been done a long time ago… And yet out elected officials don’t have a clue or are to scared to even bring this issue up to the public and or do anything about this… It is very sad and disturbing that us humans only care about ourselves and not nature that is around us when we live around these beautiful Mountains here in L.A. We r fortunate to have such close wildlife. I’m pretty sure Wildlife Crossing project can be easily erected and constructed in no time…. Which can be patrolled by our Rangers in order to keep out humans off these Crossing and prevent humans from living there ( homeless people) . But the way things will work is that this will not happen or it will happen when it’s a too late…Oh I get it more animals have to been killed..Not good….. Thanks Diane very good news article…

  4. If the city is gonna use money as an excuse not to do this, which they will, people should volunteer to build these corridors, kinda like Habitat for Humanity.

  5. Keep building homes intruding on the wildlife and this will continue to happen!

  6. Isn’t it insane that we build so much that we do t leave room for our wildlife to survive. We should be building farther apart.

  7. ?❗️ We DO need to take care of the wild life! We are invading on their territory and forcing them to seek elsewhere! We NEED to DO OUR Part and to keep them safe!

  8. Debbie Jones says:

    You 100 % correct. It’s disgusting and horrible how these animals are killed as we move into their territory. What a shame.
    And what is the syringe of medicine next to his paws?

    • SCVNews.com says:

      It’s part of the necropsy. It’s not medicine. They’re analyzing his blood to determine whether he was exposed to rat poison.

  9. Katie Fowler Katie Fowler says:

    It’s is heart breaking but where would you have people live? Each of us live in a home that took the home of a wild animal. Unfortunately we can’t have it both ways

  10. deborah eskow says:

    It is heartbreaking! Sadly too many people just don’t comprahend the challenges these cats are facing to survive, or quite frankly they just don’t care. I’m CEO of a kitty rescue and in 2013 I invited Laurel Series PHD from UCLA to come and speak about P22 at a fundraising event. We live with these big kitties and I thought it imporant for people to know what is actually happening to them through human expansion into their habitat. Even though all the people at the event were kitty lovers most of them I think we’re bored during Laurels address. People are inherently selfish. At least most of them. Some of us can see the bigger picture! we share this planet we dont own it!

  11. Lau Keyzer Lau Keyzer says:

    Sad and we all live in houses built here . Building is going to continue . Animals will continue .
    Katie says it all.^

  12. Nic Miller Nic Miller says:

    #lionlivesmatter

  13. Rick Lake Rick Lake says:

    Yes too many people in one small area are actually large area California has too many people there sucking up too much water and habitat but they want their tax money

  14. Corridors would help, I’m sure humans can spare such space.

  15. I think we can have it both ways more corridor space between settlements if we don’t space our building were going to look like Gaza building on top of building……

  16. Taking all the animals homes they have no where to go

  17. Kris Doyle Kris Doyle says:

    Seriously people, there is plenty of open mountain space out here. Don’t be ridiculous. he was In the wrong place at the wrong time. Nobody forced that animal to cross a freeway, just bad luck and a sad story, but nobody’s fault.

    • Linda James Linda James says:

      Seriously? Theyre coming down for water and food .. it’s just getting worse for the wildlife .. off the 74 in San Juan builders are building in what was wilderness and habitat for a lot of animals .. large coyotes, bobcats, owls yes owls are getting killed by cars and large trucks on that road .. we keep building and taking away from the wildlife and then people will complain about the wildlife .. it never ends .. educate yourself on just how much room a mountain lion needs especially when their food and water sources are depleted because of people ..

    • Totally ignorant response from Kris Doyle, no personal offense intended. Wildlife crossings should be an essential part of city planning, we are severely behind the times.

  18. Diane McGrory Jim McGrory Zachary Liddle

  19. Javi says:

    At what point in history did people begin regarding Mountain Lions and Coyotes anything other that what they are…PREDATORS.

    How many more toddlers, joggers and pets need to bs maimed or killed before we declare OPEN SEASON on these viscous animals?

    We need to STOP THE LIBERAL INSANITY.

  20. This story reminds me of the deer lady.

  21. Javi says:

    Seriously?

    Are fish more important than watering agricultural lands that feed us? NO!

    Should people have to live in fear of predators? NO!

    PEOPLE ARE NOT ON THE SAME LEVEL AS ANIMALS!!

    ANIMALS DO NOT DESERVE RIGHTS ABOVE HUMAN BEINGs!!!

    WHERE DOES THUS THINKING COME FROM?

    Please get some common sense.

    • SCVNews.com says:

      People lived here harmoniously with nature for thousands of years. It’s only become a problem lately.

  22. Javi says:

    People have NOT lives harmoniously with wolves, cougars and coyotes.

    Pioneers regularly had to KILL all of those animals which threatened their livestock.

    Do you have any material to back up your absurd
    assertion?

    • SCVNews.com says:

      Exactly. The pioneers also killed many of our Indians, who lived harmoniously with nature. That was the beginning of the end.

  23. Javi says:

    Mountain Lions should be actively hunted as their population has grown TOO LARGE and they have LOST THEIR FEAR OF HUMANS.

    They have also decimated the deer population which in turn means less game for us HUMANS.

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