skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump administration begins sweeping layoffs with probationary workers, warns of larger cuts to come; NYC music school teachers strike after union negotiations break down; Ohio advocates push for inclusive policies during Black History Month; Health experts recommend sunshine, socializing to cure 'winter blues.'

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Federal workers tasked with securing elections from foreign interference are placed on leave, parents' organizations reject dismantling Dept. of Education, and the Congressional Black Caucus presses discussions on slavery reparations.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

Mountain lions: A critical part of OR landscapes, despite bad rap

play audio
Play

Monday, December 9, 2024   

People are probably happy to hear two orphaned mountain lion kittens have been rescued and will find new homes at the Oregon Zoo but sharing space with them in the wild is a different story.

While the kittens are safe, there are different ideas about how much to protect wild mountain lions.

Brent Lyles, executive director of the Mountain Lion Foundation, said although they are often feared, the large cats should be protected for the role they play in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

"The carnivores that are at or near the top of the food chain have been shown, again and again over the decades, to be critically important to the vibrancy and long-term stability of food webs in any environment," Lyles pointed out.

Mountain lions, like other keystone predators, help maintain balance in an ecosystem by controlling herbivore or plant-eating populations, which benefits plant growth and overall biodiversity. Lyles noted the deer and elk carcasses they leave behind also provide food for hundreds of other species.

However, not everyone is prepared to live in proximity to mountain lions. By the 1960s, Oregon's cougar population was nearly wiped out. Protections have since allowed their numbers to rebound but by how much remains unclear.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife permits killing up to 970 cougars annually, a quota some biologists believe is excessive. Lyles argued killing too many actually undermines safety, as stable mountain lion populations are less likely to create problems.

"It's a very common misconception that the best response to human-wildlife encounter is to get rid of the cougar," Lyles contended. "If you get rid of it, things can get ugly and you've just made the community less safe, not more safe."

Lyles explained when a dominant lion is removed, multiple young males could move into the territory, prompting more human and livestock encounters. Though encounters are rare, Lyles added if they happen, you should make yourself look larger and make noise to scare the animal away. Maintain eye contact, avoid running and back away slowly.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
In 2023, the Biden administration ordered a Bakersfield oil company to remove old oil rigs from Carrizo Plain National Monument in Central California. (Bob Wick/BLM)

Environment

play sound

Groups that fight to protect public lands are criticizing the Trump administration's new review of all oil, gas and mining on public lands. National …


Environment

play sound

This weekend, Virginians will participate with other birders around the world in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Thousands of birding enthusiasts …

Environment

play sound

This weekend, birders across the world, including in Maryland, will participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Thousands of birding enthusiasts …


A new study looking at drought impacts on grasslands found that such lands in China saw a 43% reduction in annual productivity, compared with just a 25% reduction in North America under the same conditions. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Grasslands are considered a vital component of South Dakota's landscape. But on the heels of new research, an expert suggests they might not fare as …

Social Issues

play sound

Minnesota is little less than a year away from launching its paid-leave law, but state lawmakers are debating whether to delay the start until 2027…

In its next contract, the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Program faculty union is looking for "reasonable" class sizes and for teachers to easily access remote learning tools when needed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A New York City music school's faculty is back in the classroom after a weeklong strike. The Manhattan School of Music's Precollege Program faculty …

Social Issues

play sound

A New York bill would require schools to teach about the Jan. 6 insurrection. The bill calls for all K-12 students to be taught about the event…

Health and Wellness

play sound

An Atlanta-based group is making sure more people have access to an unconventional but effective treatment for their moderate mental health challenges…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021