Desert lions

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lateralis
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:56 pm
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Desert lions

Post by lateralis »

It was a sad day Monday when I learned that a mature (likely female) mountain lion was discovered dor in thermal California just north of the Salton sea.
http://www.kesq.com/news/large-mountain ... /607179703
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SurfinHerp
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Re: Desert lions

Post by SurfinHerp »

It's a little surprising that a mountain lion would be in the low desert in the middle of August. I understand that many of them move from the desert up into the mountains for the summer.

Did you hear about the mountain lion in Borrego Springs earlier this year (in May I think)? It was menacing hikers going to Hellhole Palms, so the trail had to be closed for a while. That's the same area where Jamez Evanz encountered a mountain lion while night hiking a few years ago.

Jeff
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lateralis
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Re: Desert lions

Post by lateralis »

Hey Nate
lol I so rarely get on the forum that I missed your reply, but to answer your question I did hear about the borrego cat. Though lions are not common in the low desert per se, they do venture out to other areas and cross fairly urban terrain to exploit resources in different parts of their range. The cat in thermal was likely using the storm water channel to move about as it serves as a great movement corridor through the Coachella valley. I've documented 3 lion kills at a place called dos palmas near the Coachella canal which runs along the east side of the Salton sea.
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rpecora
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Re: Desert lions

Post by rpecora »

I saw one at the enterance to Whitewater years ago. I pulled in and a group were spotlighting it going up the hill. Pretty cool to see. When I say years ago it was about twenty or more.
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