California Mountain Lions Deemed 'Threatened' in Certain Regions

State wildlife officials move to protect isolated coastal cougar populations facing habitat loss and inbreeding.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to list six groups of Central Coast and Southern California mountain lions as threatened under the state's Endangered Species Act. This designation aims to trigger habitat protections and conservation efforts for these isolated cougar populations, which face threats like habitat fragmentation, vehicle collisions, and inbreeding due to their limited ranges.

Why it matters

Mountain lions play a crucial role in California's ecosystems, but growing development and infrastructure have carved up their habitats into isolated pockets. This threatens the long-term viability of these cougar populations, especially in coastal regions, as they become increasingly vulnerable to inbreeding and local extinction.

The details

The threatened designation prohibits harming or 'taking' the mountain lions except with a permit, and will require state and local agencies to assess the impacts of new developments on their habitats. However, some builders have pushed back, arguing the habitat maps could increase project costs. Meanwhile, some rural residents and ranchers fear more protections could lead to more conflicts with mountain lions preying on livestock and pets.

  • The California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously on February 13, 2026 to list the mountain lions as threatened.
  • Mountain lions have had temporary protections under the state's endangered species act while the state weighed whether to list them.

The players

California Fish and Game Commission

The state agency that voted to list the mountain lions as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act.

Chris Wilmers

A professor of wildlife ecology at the University of California, Santa Cruz and lead investigator of the Santa Cruz Puma Project.

California Building Industry Association

An industry group that warned the state's habitat maps could force developers into costly studies and mitigation efforts.

Greg Fontana

A rancher whose family has ranched the coastal reaches of San Mateo county for generations, and who argued that more mountain lion protections could lead to more attacks on livestock.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

The state agency that can still issue permits to manage mountain lions that kill pets and livestock, even with the threatened listing.

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What they’re saying

“If we want to maintain mountain lion populations in these coastal regions, then we've got some work to do.”

— Chris Wilmers, Professor of wildlife ecology, University of California, Santa Cruz (kqed.org)

“People have them on cameras all the time eating house cats off peoples' porches, dogs dragged off in broad daylight right in front of their owners, and children being mauled.”

— Greg Fontana, Rancher (kqed.org)

What’s next

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife anticipates continuing to issue permits to manage mountain lions that pose conflicts with livestock and pets, evaluating each situation on a case-by-case basis and prioritizing non-lethal methods.

The takeaway

The threatened listing for California's coastal mountain lions aims to protect these isolated populations from further habitat loss and fragmentation, but will require balancing conservation efforts with the concerns of rural residents and industries over potential conflicts with the predators.