Research News
May 22, 2012: Today's news about the mountain lion shot in Santa Monica is tragic and unfortunate. The individual was a young male. He likely originated from the eastern portion of the Santa Monica Mountains and was looking for a safe area to disperse to and establish his own home range. We have obtained tissue samples that we will use for genetic analysis in the Robert Wayne lab at UCLA to establish whether he originated from the Santa Monicas. Jeff Sikich with the National Park Service was able to obtain the tissue sample, and while there, established that the mountain lion did appear to a wild mountain lion (rather than a captive mountain lion that wandered astray). More info can be found in the Associated Press article here.
P13 Kitten Update: Check out the video we captured on a remote camera of one of P13's kittens feeding on a deer, with another in the background watching!
Welcome to the Urban Carnivores Website!
The goal of this website is to inform the public about research being done on native carnivores in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties by UCLA and National Park Service biologists. It is also a platform to introduce you to some of the amazing things we biologists encounter in the field, and what we are learning about the impacts of urban development on our native wildlife.
Our research focuses on bobcats and mountain lions captured in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). Within the study area, nearly 300 bobcats have been humanely captured for the purposes of our research and to learn more about these animals. We have thus far captured 22 mountain lions.
What To Do If You See A Sick Bobcat
If you see a bobcat that appears ill in your yard, please do not approach it or disturb it! Instead, please contact us as soon as you sight the animal. We are available to humanely capture the animal and take it to a rehab center. If you see a sick animal or would like more information, please call or email:
Laurel Klein Serieys, Ph.D. Candidate
University of California, Los Angeles
Phone: (424) 645-7862
Email: Laurelklein (at) ucla.edu