Los Angeles, together with Mumbai in India is one of the two megacities where populations of large predatory cats live together with human kind.

Mountain lions can be seen quite rarely. Still, they sometimes have close contacts with humans in our habitats according to a study of the National Park Service and the University of California in Los Angeles. This research was made around and in the Santa Monica Mountains. It is unique because it investigates whether mountain lions tend to hunt in the highly urbanized areas. 

The researchers used location data from GPS radio collars, as well as field observations to determine what the preferred hunting grounds of mountain lions in the region are.

The scientists found that the males often prefer woodlands which are located near creeks and rivers. Females choose other areas probably because they want to avoid males and thus protect themselves and their kittens. This behavior of the two genders was explained by John Benson who is a wildlife biologist and led the study.

All lions - males and females probably choose where to hunt according to the availability of mule deer - their main prey.
Benson explained that deer usually inhabit areas which are rich of water and have lush vegetation. This explains why male mountain lions prefer to hunt in the forests near creeks and rivers. It also gives an explanation why females hunt in areas inhabited by humans where there are plenty of swimming pools and cultivated gardens.

Mountain lions usually make ambushes while they are hunting. That is why they prefer locations that have thick vegetation. These places include steep slopes, chaparral and lower elevations.

After the research, it appeared that mountain lions kill their prey closer to human development than the scientists expected. But when the human presence is too dense, it becomes less probably the lions to hunt near the commercial and the residential areas.

After the mountain lions with GPS collars went to the same spots on a few consecutive nights, it became obvious that that they had a prey - often deer, but sometimes also coyotes and raccoons. Then, the scientists examined the site for hunting evidence, usually a carcass.

Only 2 of the 420 kills were made inside the developed areas. Still, some kills were made closer to the areas of development than expected by the scientists.

Mountain lions can often be seen in the American West. That is why they not protected by the Endangered Species Act. Still, California passed a law in 1991. This law prohibits hunting the lions.

The main risk for the mountain lions in Los Angeles is not limited to cars, poison, and the loss of habitat. Actually, inbreeding appears to be the biggest threat of all in the longer perspective. For now, the most promising solution to this problem seems to be construction of a wildlife bridge over 8 lanes of 101 freeway but building it would be a real challenge.