California Moves to Permanently Protect Mountain Lions

State commission to vote on endangered species status for six puma populations

Feb. 3, 2026 at 8:23pm

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The California Fish and Game Commission is set to vote on permanently listing six mountain lion populations as endangered under the state's Endangered Species Act. This would provide long-term protections for the iconic big cats, who face threats like habitat fragmentation, vehicle collisions, and rodent poison. The move comes after years of advocacy by conservation groups and research showing the genetic isolation and poor health of some puma populations in California.

Why it matters

Mountain lions are a keystone species in California's ecosystems, controlling deer and rodent populations and supporting biodiversity. Permanent endangered species protections would bring more funding and resources to conservation efforts, including building wildlife crossings and preserving critical habitat to help connect isolated puma populations and improve their genetic health.

The details

The California Fish and Game Commission is set to vote on February 11-12 to list six mountain lion populations as endangered, making permanent the temporary protections enacted in 2020. This follows years of research and advocacy by groups like the Center for Biological Diversity, which petitioned the state to consider endangered status after studies found some puma populations were suffering from habitat fragmentation and inbreeding. If approved, the protections would prohibit harming or killing mountain lions except in specific circumstances, and require agencies and developers to minimize impacts to the animals.

  • In 2018 and 2019, studies found that some California mountain lion populations were in trouble due to habitat fragmentation and isolation.
  • In 2020, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to enact temporary protections for six mountain lion populations.
  • In December 2025, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recommended making those temporary protections permanent.
  • The California Fish and Game Commission will vote on the endangered species listing on February 11-12, 2026.

The players

California Fish and Game Commission

The state agency responsible for managing California's fish and wildlife resources, including voting on endangered species protections.

Center for Biological Diversity

A nonprofit conservation organization that petitioned the state to consider endangered status for certain mountain lion populations.

Chris Wilmers

A researcher at UC Santa Cruz and principal investigator of the Santa Cruz Puma Project, which tracks mountain lions in the region.

Tiffany Yap

A conservation scientist and urban wildlands science director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

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What they’re saying

“The state is listening to the science. And that, I think, is really exciting, really gratifying.”

— Tiffany Yap, Conservation scientist and urban wildlands science director, Center for Biological Diversity

“(Mountain lions) really affect the world around them. They have this critical role that can support the biodiversity of a given area, which is beneficial for us.”

— Tiffany Yap, Conservation scientist and urban wildlands science director, Center for Biological Diversity

What’s next

The California Fish and Game Commission will vote on whether to list the mountain lion populations as endangered at its February 11-12, 2026 meeting.

The takeaway

Permanent endangered species protections for California's mountain lions would provide critical funding and resources to help connect isolated puma populations, mitigate threats like vehicle collisions and rodent poison, and preserve the iconic big cats' role as a keystone species in the state's ecosystems.