Mountain lions (pumas) are North Americas largest wild cat, increasingly coming into contact with urban areas as habitat is fragmented and they search for territory.
Mountain lions face severe welfare impacts from urban habitat fragmentation. Dispersing young males travel enormous distances seeking territory and frequently encounter roads, fencing, and developed areas. Road mortality from vehicle strikes causes painful traumatic death. Animals that survive strikes often have internal injuries not immediately apparent. P-22, who lived his entire adult life within a small urban fragment, showed signs of mange and eventually required euthanasia after a vehicle strike. Wildlife crossing infrastructure including the proposed Liberty Canyon crossing in Los Angeles is designed to allow mountain lion movement between populations. Conflict with humans and domestic animals leads to lethal removal of individual lions that learn to predate livestock or pets.