Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Permission to Kill Mountain Lion Granted After Cougar Kills 12 Farm Animals

A permit to shoot and possibly kill a mountain lion was granted to a ranch owner in the mountains above Malibu Monday, when a state game warden determined the lion was the culprit in the killing of a dozen farm animals over the weekend. Ten alpaca were killed at one ranch near Mulholland Highway at Decker Canyon Road Saturday. At a second, nearby location, one goat and another alpaca were torn apart Sunday. A depredation order was issued late in the afternoon, under a state law that allows a person to shoot a mountain lion if it has been killing livestock or pets. Mountain lions are not endangered or protected in California, but the lions living in the Santa Monica Mountains are cut off from the rest of the animals by freeways. Although federal parks officials have been encouraging efforts to accommodate the mountain lions, it falls to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to handle wayward cats that attack livestock. The state's policy is to not trap and relocate wayward lions, but to allow them to be killed. "The lion is obviously killing for sport -- not food," said Mary-Dee Rickards, who lies on a nearby ranch, in a statement to KBUU radio. "I know everyone who lives up here not only respects but enjoys the beautiful wildlife," she said. "But this has gone beyond a peaceful co-existence with the animals."...more

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