Mountain Lions, Habitat Fragmentation and Us

The Santa Cruz Group of the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club Presents: Mountain Lions, Habitat Fragmentation and Us

Chris Wilmers, the founder and lead researcher for the Santa Cruz Puma Project will give a slide show presentation demonstrating how this group tracks mountain lions as part of its research on how roads and development "fragment" animal habitat.

Since the project began in 2008, 39 mountain lions have been fitted with specially designed high-tech GPS collars able to track and document their location, movements and activities. Human development is now the biggest threat to these cats, who need an up to 100-square-mile territory to hunt, breed and raise their young. "We need to understand what their habits are, or we’ll lose them completely," says Wilmers. The group's website contains a map of mountain lion travel routes in the Santa Cruz mountains, a place where they were thought to be extinct a few decades ago. Animal movement data has become one of the primary tools in managing and conserving wildlife.

Chris Wilmers, PhD is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at UCSC who has written numerous articles for scientific journals and given many professional speeches on his research. He has also been the recipient of many awards and grants.

http://santacruzpumas.org/


When: Thursday, September 26 at 7:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m. social mingling time with healthy refreshments provided).

Where: The Live Oak (Green) Grange Hall at 1900 17th Ave. near Capitola Road in Santa Cruz.

Please join us for this very environmentally relevant presentation! Parking is available, but try to arrive sustainably.

Free, Donations appreciated. All are welcome. Tell your friends.