Source: http://mountainlion.org/us/ca/-ca-law.asp
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 12:05:44+00:00

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Opinion: Tom Stienstra, Won't You Please Be True Mountain lions are classified as a specially protected mammal in California and not shot for trophies, but can still be killed if injuring pets or livestock. Data from these lions helps us identify where, when and possibly why these incidents occur, and work to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
In California's legal code, Puma concolor is generally referred to as "mountain lion."
The species is classified as a specially protected mammal. The mountain lion is the only species in California with this designation, and at this time there is no directive explaining how specially protected mammals should be conserved.
Under California Fish and Game Code Section 3950.1, which became law in 1990 through Proposition 117, the mountain lion "shall not be listed as, or considered to be, a game mammal by the department or the commission."
Laws pertaining to California's threatened and endangered species currently do not apply to the mountain lion because the species has not been listed. The mountain lion is also not included as a fully protected mammal, or nongame mammal in California.
Generally, treatment of wildlife in the State of California is governed by the California Fish and Game Code and Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. Additionally, state and local agencies are subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under the Public Resources Code. Some federal laws also apply to California wildlife, but usually in conjunction with migratory birds or federally-listed endangered species. Since our summary below may not be completely up to date, you should be sure to review the most current laws and regulations for the State of California.
The California Fish and Game Code (state law) may be viewed online here. These statutes are searchable. Be sure to use the name "mountain lion" to accomplish your searches. The California Code of Regulations (state regulations), may be viewed online here, or click here to see every CCR section that mentions "mountain lion."
The California State Legislature is the state's legislative entity. It is a bicameral legislature. The upper chamber is the Senate while the Assembly is the lower chamber. The Senate has 40 members who serve 4-year terms. Twenty Senate seats are up for election during each two-year election cycle. The Assembly is made up of 80 members who serve 2-year terms.
In June 2012, voters passed Proposition 28 which allows members of either chamber to serve a maximum of 12 years total in the legislature. Legislators who were first elected on or before June 5, 2012 are limited to the previous term limits (under 1990's Proposition 140) — three terms in the Assembly and two terms in the Senate.
California's directory of Senators can be found here, and the directory of state Assemblymembers can be found here.
California's legislature is in session year-round, and convenes on the first Monday in January, except when New Year's Day (January 1) falls on a Sunday or Monday, in which case they meet the following Wednesday.
The Senate has been under Democratic majority continuously since 1970. With the exception of 1995 to 1996, the Assembly has been in Democratic hands since the 1970 as well. The Governor's seat has alternated back and forth between republican and democrat during that time period.
California's laws and regulations (explained above) set the framework for mountain lion treatment in the state. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) uses these official statues to frame their internal mountain lion policies and guidelines. CDFW is the agency responsible for mountain lion management in California.
CDFW is divided into four major divisions: administration, wildlife & fisheries, ecosystem conservation, and law enforcement. Mountain lion management falls under the wildlife and fisheries, and law enforcement divisions.
There are 7 CDFW regions in California. The Department is responsible for implementing and enforcing the regulations set by the Fish and Game Commission, as well as providing biological data and expertise to inform the Commission's decision making process.
The California Fish and Game Commission was the first wildlife conservation agency in the United States, founded in 1870, predating even the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries. Their general regulations are outlined in the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 1 and Fish and Game Code Division 1. Their rule-making process must also be in compliance with the Administrative Procedures Act. Today, the Commission oversees the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
CDFW annually reports to the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) on the status of California's fish and wildlife resources with emphasis on those resources estimated to be at marginal or low levels. In accordance with CCR §660.1, "based upon the best scientific information, [...] the Commission shall then prepare a report on the status of the State's resources for presentation to the Senate Resources & Wildlife Committee and the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee."
Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the California state Senate. They serve a six-year term that expires on January 15. After completing a term, Commissioners can be reappointed, or may continue to serve until the Governor appoints a replacement. The Commission must annually elect one of its members as President and one as Vice President.
The CFGC holds twelve meetings a year at various locations throughout the state to encourage public participation. Under the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act of 1967, which facilitates accountability and transparency of government activities and protects the rights of citizens to participate in State government deliberations, Commission meetings are open to the public.
In regards to mountain lions, (FGC §4807), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife "shall undertake a complete necropsy on any returned mountain lion carcass and report the findings to the commission. The commission shall compile the reported findings and prepare an annual written report that shall be submitted to the Legislature not later than the January 15 next following the year in which the mountain lion was taken."
Historically, mountain lions were heavily persecuted in California, classified as a "bountied predator" from 1907 to 1963. During this time, a record 12,462 mountain lions were killed (more than any other state) and turned in for the bounty. The bounty on California's mountain lions was repealed in 1963, and the species was reclassified as a "non-protected mammal." In 1969, the state legislature again reclassified mountain lions as a "game mammal." In 1971 and 1972 California held its only sport hunting seasons on mountain lions, during which time 118 lions were killed.
In 1971, the state legislature and Governor Ronald Reagan passed legislation which placed a moratorium on the sport hunting of mountain lions. The lion hunting moratorium started on March 1, 1972.
Hunting or trapping of mountain lions is not allowed in the State of California. Since Ronald Reagan's moratorium in 1972, (made permanent by the passage of Proposition 117 in 1990), it has been unlawful to take (hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill), injure, possess, transport, import, or sell any mountain lion or any part or product thereof unless under specific circumstances for public safety, depredation, education, or research.
CCR §265 (3) states "Mountain lions may not be pursued with dogs except under the provisions of a depredation permit issued pursuant to §4803 of the Fish and Game Code. Bear or bobcat may not be pursued with dogs except under the provisions of a permit issued pursuant to sections 3960.2 or 3960.4 of the Fish and Game Code. Dog training on mountain lions is prohibited."
A mountain lion may only be killed in California if it is posing an "imminent threat to public health or safety," which is defined as "a situation where a mountain lion exhibits one or more aggressive behaviors directed toward a person that is not reasonably believed to be due to the presence of responders."
Under FGC §4801.5 (which became law January 1, 2014 after the passage of Senate Bill 132), any situation where a mountain lion does not meet the threshold of imminent threat shall be handled with nonlethal procedures.
"Nonlethal procedures" means procedures that may include, but are not limited to, capturing, pursuing, anesthetizing, temporarily possessing, temporarily injuring, marking, attaching to or surgically implanting monitoring or recognition devices, providing veterinary care, transporting, hazing, rehabilitating, releasing, or taking no action.
Additionally, CDFW may, as the department determines is necessary to protect mountain lions or the public, authorize qualified individuals, educational institutions, governmental agencies, or nongovernmental organizations to implement nonlethal procedures on a mountain lion.
An individual is not guilty of a violation of this section if it is demonstrated that, in taking or injuring a mountain lion, the individual was acting in self-defense or in defense of others. Please see the Poaching section below for information about penalties for illegally killing a mountain lion in California.
California's mountain lion depredation laws are described in FGC §4802-4809, and CCR§402 and §265.
Under FGC §4802, "any person, or the employee or agent of a person, whose livestock or other property is being or has been injured, damaged, or destroyed by a mountain lion may report that fact to the department and request a permit to take the mountain lion." Within 48 hours CDFW will investigate, and if "satisfied that there has been depredation by a mountain lion as reported, the department shall promptly issue a permit to take the depredating mountain lion" (FGC §4803).
A depredation permit to take a mountain lion expires 10 days after issuance, requires the permit holder begin pursuit of the lion not more than one mile from the depredation site, and limits the pursuit of the depredating mountain lion to within a 10-mile radius from the location of the reported damage or destruction. Additional depredation permit information and restrictions are described in CCR §402, and §265 allows the use of tracking dogs.
Any person issued a permit pursuant to Section 4803 or 4805 shall report, by telephone within 24 hours, the capturing, injuring, or killing of any mountain lion to an office of the department or, if telephoning is not practicable, in writing within five days after the capturing, injuring, or killing of the mountain lion. At the time of making the report of the capturing, injuring, or killing, the holder of the permit shall make arrangements to turn over the mountain lion or the entire carcass of the mountain lion which has been recovered to a representative of the department and shall do so in a timely manner.
A mountain lion caught in the act of attacking livestock or situations where "immediate authorization will materially assist in the pursuit of the particular mountain lion believed to be responsible for the depredation reported pursuant to §4802, the department or the animal damage control officer may orally authorize the pursuit and taking of the depredating mountain lion, and the department shall issue a written permit for the period previously authorized as soon as practicable after the oral authorization."
FGC §4809 specifies mountain lions authorized to be taken for causing damage or destruction shall be taken by the most effective means available, except that no mountain lion shall be taken by means of poison, leg-hold or metal-jawed traps, and snares.
CDFW is also required to undertake a complete necropsy on any returned mountain lion carcass and report the findings to the commission. These findings are to be included in an annual written report that shall be submitted to the Legislature by January 15. Past reports do not appear to be easily accessible online. CDFW's depredation information is available on the mountain lion page of their website. The United States Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services agency is contracted in most California counties to kill lions under depredation permits. Wildlife Services' records are available online, here. Scroll down and click on the pie chart under the "Animals Dispersed / Killed or Euthanized / Freed" section, then in the dropdown menu select "California" to the see the number of mountain lions and other wildlife killed annually by Wildlife Services.
For most of California, if a depredation is confirmed, the local agency personnel will issue a lethal take permit to kill a mountain lion. There are two exceptions to this policy, the Santa Monica and Santa Ana Mountains. Local research on mountain lions in these areas revealed that these two populations have become dangerously isolated and that we must take steps to preserve important genetic diversity if we are to avoid population collapse and possible extirpation. In recognition of these facts, CDFW is now providing depredation permits for landowners to use preventative tools rather than issuing lethal removal permits at the onset. This approach should provide much needed relief the local mountain lions and livestock alike!
Mountain lion research in California is authorized under FGC §4810 and permitted through the Scientific Collecting Permit process.
Contribute to the knowledge of natural wildlife ecosystems.
Minimize disruptions in the lives and movements of mountain lions and other wildlife, as well as impacts to mountain lion or other wildlife habitat, while maintaining the permitholder's research objectives.
Directly or indirectly support the sustainability and survival of mountain lion populations and healthy ecosystems.
Prevent the permanent injury or killing of any mountain lion.
Researchers are allowed to pursue, capture, temporarily possess, mark, attach to or surgically implant monitoring or recognition devices in, and provide veterinary care to mountain lions. They must follow the reporting guidelines outlined in §4810(e).
CDFW shall notify the public at least 30 days prior to the issuance of a permit, and, upon request, shall make available to the public copies of the permit and annual and final reports.
Any mountain lion killed during a research project must be turned over to CDFW for a complete necropsy and included in the Commissions annual report to the Legislature.
Currently approved research projects are listed here. And any proposed research projects that are in the 30-day public review period can be found here.
Additional information and research application links are available on CDFW's mountain lion research permitting webpage. A handful of published studies can be found on their mountain lion research publications page. Long-term studies have taken place in the Santa Ana Mountains and Santa Monica Mountains. More recent studies are also being conducted in the Santa Cruz Mountains, San Francisco's East Bay, and the Sierra National Forest.
The owner can demonstrate that the mountain lion, or part or product thereof, was in the person's possession on June 6, 1990 (before the mountain lion became a specially protected mammal in the state).
California Department of Fish and Wildlife authorized the killing of the mountain lion for posing an imminent threat to public health or safety, and the carcass is being transferred to CDFW for a necropsy.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife authorized the killing of the mountain lion under a depredation permit, and the carcass is being transferred to CDFW for a necropsy.
The carcass or lion part or product is a component of a mountain lion research project under a Scientific Collecting Permit approved in compliance with FGC §4810.
According to CCR §251.5 (b), "Live mountain lions may be possessed only under terms of a permit issued by the Department pursuant to section 2150 of the Fish and Game Code or if the owner can demonstrate that the mountain lion was in his/her possession on or before June 6, 1990 under a permit issued pursuant to section 3200 of said code.
CCR §671-671.9 describe the regulations for importation, transportation, and possession of live restricted animals in California.
Mountain lion rescue and rehabilitation became legal in California on January 1, 2014. Laws pertaining to wildlife rehabilitation in California are generally listed under CCR §679.
Mountain lion researchers with a valid Scientific Collecting Permit, in accordance with §4810 may also temporarily possess live mountain lions. And an individual or organization partnering with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement nonlethal procedures on a mountain lion to resolve a potential pubic safety threat (§4801.5) may also be allowed to temporarily possess a live lion.
While historic native prey for mountain lions, declines in Bighorn sheep populations have led to a debate over lethally removing mountain lions to increase the size of sheep herds. Under California state law, Fish and Game Code §4801, CDFW "may remove or take any mountain lion, or authorize an appropriate local agency with public safety responsibility to remove or take any mountain lion, [...] that is perceived by the department to be an imminent threat to the survival of any threatened, endangered, candidate, or fully protected sheep species."
The Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program lethally removes approximately two mountain lions each year that are believed to be threatening the survival of the endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep herd. In their 2011 report, the recovery program noted "Since bighorn were listed in 1999, 22 mountains lions were killed to protect them; 18 had preyed upon bighorn. Four were killed because their location data indicated a significant threat to bighorn."
A Legislative Counsel opinion released in 2011 clarified that Federal contract hunters employed by CDFW must follow state law and not use poison, snares, leg-hold or metal-jawed traps to kill mountain lions, even when the lions pose a threat to Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep.
Desert bighorn sheep that are not endangered may be sport hunted in specific areas.
California state law provides some protection of mountain lions, but only as a deterrent. It is rare for penalties to be sufficiently harsh to keep poachers from poaching again. Violating FGC §4800-4810 or killing a mountain lion is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment. An individual is not guilty of a violation of this section if it is demonstrated that, in taking or injuring a mountain lion, the individual was acting in self-defense or in defense of others.
The California Department of Transportation does not keep records of mountain lions killed on the State's roads. The UC Davis Road Ecology Center researches wildlife road killings in the California, but relies on the public to voluntarily report roadkill observations.
(a) The mountain lion (genus Puma) is a specially protected mammal under the laws of this state.
(b) (1) It is unlawful to take, injure, possess, transport, import, or sell any mountain lion or any part or product thereof, except as specifically provided in this chapter or in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2116) of Division 3.
(2) This chapter does not prohibit the sale or possession of any mountain lion or any part or product thereof, when the owner can demonstrate that the mountain lion, or part or product thereof, was in the person's possession on June 6, 1990.
(A) The carcass or carcass part or product is prepared or being prepared for display, exhibition, or storage, for a bona fide scientific or educational purpose, at a nonprofit museum or government-owned facility generally open to the public or at an educational institution, including a public or private postsecondary institution.
(B) The mountain lion was taken in California consistent with the requirements of this chapter and any other applicable law.
(C) The department has authorized the possession of the carcass or carcass part or product for the purposes of this paragraph.
(c) Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment. An individual is not guilty of a violation of this section if it is demonstrated that, in taking or injuring a mountain lion, the individual was acting in self-defense or in defense of others.
(d) Section 219 does not apply to this chapter. Neither the commission nor the department shall adopt any regulation that conflicts with or supersedes any of the provisions of this chapter.
The department may remove or take any mountain lion, or authorize an appropriate local agency with public safety responsibility to remove or take any mountain lion, that is perceived to be an imminent threat to public health or safety or that is perceived by the department to be an imminent threat to the survival of any threatened, endangered, candidate, or fully protected sheep species.
(b) For purposes of this chapter, "imminent threat to public health or safety" means a situation where a mountain lion exhibits one or more aggressive behaviors directed toward a person that is not reasonably believed to be due to the presence of responders.
(c) For purposes of this chapter, "nonlethal procedures" means procedures that may include, but are not limited to, capturing, pursuing, anesthetizing, temporarily possessing, temporarily injuring, marking, attaching to or surgically implanting monitoring or recognition devices, providing veterinary care, transporting, hazing, rehabilitating, releasing, or taking no action.
Any person, or the employee or agent of a person, whose livestock or other property is being or has been injured, damaged, or destroyed by a mountain lion may report that fact to the department and request a permit to take the mountain lion.
Upon receipt of a report pursuant to Section 4802, the department, or any animal damage control officer specifically authorized by the department to carry out this responsibility, shall immediately take the action necessary to confirm that there has been depredation by a mountain lion as reported. The confirmation process shall be completed as quickly as possible, but in no event more than 48 hours after receiving the report. If satisfied that there has been depredation by a mountain lion as reported, the department shall promptly issue a permit to take the depredating mountain lion.
(a) The permit shall expire 10 days after issuance.
(b) The permit shall authorize the holder to begin pursuit not more than one mile from the depredation site.
(c) The permit shall limit the pursuit of the depredating mountain lion to within a 10-mile radius from the location of the reported damage or destruction.
Whenever immediate authorization will materially assist in the pursuit of the particular mountain lion believed to be responsible for the depredation reported pursuant to Section 4802, the department or the animal damage control officer may orally authorize the pursuit and taking of the depredating mountain lion, and the department shall issue a written permit for the period previously authorized as soon as practicable after the oral authorization.
(a) Any mountain lion that is encountered while in the act of pursuing, inflicting injury to, or killing livestock, or domestic animals, may be taken immediately by the owner of the property or the owner's employee or agent. The taking shall be reported within 72 hours to the department. The department shall investigate the depredation, and, if the mountain lion was captured, injured, or killed, the mountain lion or the entire carcass of the mountain lion which has been recovered shall be turned over to the department. Upon satisfactorily completing the investigation and receiving the mountain lion or the carcass, if recovered, the department shall issue a permit confirming that the requirements of this section have been met with respect to the particular mountain lion taken under these circumstances.
(b) The department shall undertake a complete necropsy on any returned mountain lion carcass and report the findings to the commission. The commission shall compile the reported findings and prepare an annual written report that shall be submitted to the Legislature not later than the January 15 next following the year in which the mountain lion was taken.
As used in this chapter, "agent" means the agent or employee of the owner of the damaged or destroyed property, any county or city predator control officer, any employee of the Animal Damage Control Section of the United States Department of Agriculture, any departmental personnel, or any authorized or permitted houndsman registered with the department as possessing the requisite experience and having no prior conviction of any provision of this code or regulation adopted pursuant to this code. A plea of nolo contendere is a conviction for purposes of this section.
Mountain lions authorized to be taken pursuant to this chapter shall be taken by the most effective means available to take the mountain lion causing the damage or destruction, except that no mountain lion shall be taken by means of poison, leg-hold or metal-jawed traps, and snares.
(1) "Authorized research project" means a research project involving mountain lions subject to a Scientific Collecting Permit issued in accordance with this section.
(2) "Permitholder" means a person to whom the department has issued a Scientific Collecting Permit in accordance with this section.
(3) "Scientific Collecting Permit" or "permit" means a permit issued pursuant to Section 1002 for a research project involving mountain lions in accordance with this section.
(b) The department may authorize qualified individuals, educational institutions, governmental agencies, or nongovernmental organizations to conduct scientific research involving mountain lions pursuant to a Scientific Collecting Permit as provided in Section 1002.
(c) The department may authorize permitholders to pursue, capture, temporarily possess, temporarily injure, mark, attach to or surgically implant monitoring or recognition devices in, provide veterinary care to, and transport, mountain lions, or any part or product of a mountain lion.
(1) Contribute to the knowledge of natural wildlife ecosystems.
(2) Minimize disruptions in the lives and movements of mountain lions and other wildlife, as well as impacts to mountain lion or other wildlife habitat, while maintaining the permitholder's research objectives.
(3) Directly or indirectly support the sustainability and survival of mountain lion populations and healthy ecosystems.
(4) Prevent the permanent injury or killing of any mountain lion.
(1) The capture of, anesthetization of, collection of diagnostic samples from, and transport of, mountain lions or parts and products thereof, and the attaching to or surgically implanting monitoring or recognization devices or markings in, and providing veterinary care as required for the health, safety, and humane treatment of, animals affected by the research project.
(2) The recording of the adverse effects of authorized research procedures on mountain lions and other wildlife.
(3) The qualifications of onsite personnel necessary for carrying out authorized research procedures. A permit applicant shall submit verifiable documentation demonstrating that at least one onsite staff person has at least one year of experience in proposed research methods that involve activities described in subdivision (c).
(4) Annual and final reports to the department.
(f) The department shall notify the public at least 30 days prior to the issuance of a permit, and, upon request, shall make available to the public copies of the permit and annual and final reports.
(g) The department shall handle any mortality or permanent injury to a mountain lion as a result of research authorized pursuant to this section in a manner consistent with the reporting and processing requirements imposed in Section 4807.

References: §660
 §4807
 §265
 §4803
 §4801
 §4802
 §265
 §4802
 §4803
 §402
 §265
 §4802
 §4809
 §4810
 §4810
 §4810
 §251
 §671
 §679
 §4810
 §4801
 §4800