Dr. Winston Vickers will present Mountain Lions in Southern California

Dr. Vickers is a wildlife research veterinarian with the University of California-Davis Wildlife Health Center. He has been studying mountain lions and other wildlife for the past 19 years and directs the WHC's mountain lion (cougar, puma) study in Southern California, as well as collaborating with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife involved with research on bobcats, Channel Island foxes, Santa Cruz Island scrub jays and other terrestrial and avian species. He co-developed and directed a nine-part series of short documentaries as well as a one-hour film about California mountain lions.

Dr. Vickers will discuss findings from his research into mountain lions in southern California.  Habitat loss and high mortality of mountain lions in our region are of major concern. but even more concerning is isolation by highways and development leading to genetic decline and inbreeding.Recent findings suggest that the potential for reduced reproductive success due to inbreeding depression, combined with high mortality rates, threaten the Santa Ana Mountains population with extirpation. He will also discuss what we can do to support the conservation of this iconic species in our area.

This will be a virtual event in Google Meet. Please RSVP here to receive the link to the meeting.