Mountain lion conflicts jump in El Dorado County, could state legislation help?
El Dorado County finds itself at the center of California’s mountain lion debate. The county has the most lion depredation permits in the state — nearly double the second-ranked county — and in recent years saw an uptick in domestic animals killed by mountain lions.
From 2016 through 2022, fewer than 50 domestic animals were killed by mountain lions each year, according to El Dorado County data. That number rose to nearly 100 in 2023 and roughly 200 in both 2024 and 2025. A person was killed by a mountain lion in 2024 — the first such death in the county since 1994 and in the state in 20 years, according to state data.
El Dorado County Agriculture Commissioner LeeAnne Mila said she believed the increase stems from a 2020 directive, which has since been rescinded, from the Governor’s Office that added requirements, such as an increased number of attacks, before issuing a fatal depredation permit. The directive aimed to encourage nonlethal tactics, according to an El Dorado County presentation.
“Because our (mountain lion) populations got so out of whack, we were having daytime kills of animals,” Mila said. “But typically, when our populations are in check, they don’t want to be around where humans are, and as long as you lock them (your domestic animals) up at night, you’re good. It’s gotten a little bit tougher.”
Now, a bill authored by state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, R-Jackson, would require the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to maintain, enhance and expand its human-mountain lion conflict program statewide. The proposal also would expand research into nonlethal deterrence methods.
This proposal — Senate Bill 1397 — followed Alvarado-Gil’s failed effort last year to pass a bill that would have allowed hazing in El Dorado County. Hazing refers to practices intended to teach mountain lions to avoid people. Opponents consider it cruel, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation, while supporters say it can prevent lions from being killed.
This year’s bill does not include hazing, Alvarado-Gil said, but she argued it would create accountability for CDFW to document and examine mountain lion interactions. A $15 million budget request is tied to the proposal.
The accountability component would require a report to the Legislature by Oct. 1, 2031.
“We would like them (CDFW) to detail program activities effectiveness and the outcomes that they’ve implemented relating to preventing mountain line interactions with humans, so there’s an accountability measure,” she said.
Mountain Lion Foundation Chief Conservation Officer Bryon Weckworth said Alvarado-Gil’s proposal would strengthen research efforts that are “sorely needed in El Dorado County.”
A potential limitation, he said, is that the bill operates within existing systems.
Weckworth said he was also monitoring a separate bill by state Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, that would require CDFW to create a Wildlife Coexistence Technical Advisory Committee to gather input for future recommendations. A related budget request — which includes the proposed Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program — totals $48.8 million, according to a bill analysis.
“We would love to see an opportunity to align the strengths of both bills, combining targeted action on mountain lions with a more comprehensive prevention framework,” Weckworth wrote in an email.
Both bills are scheduled for a hearing Monday before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
What to know about mountain lions
Mountain lions are solitary, elusive animals, according to the National Park Service. The chances of seeing a mountain lion are slim, but people can encounter them.
“Typically, mountain lion sightings occur from a distance and usually around dawn or dusk,” park rangers said. “However, lions are unpredictable and can be dangerous.”
If you see a mountain lion, experts advise you:
- Stay calm and back away slowly.
- Face the lion and stand up straight.
- Don’t approach a mountain lion, especially if it’s with kittens.
- Don’t run. It could stimulate a mountain lion’s chase instincts.
- Pick up small children so they don’t panic or run away.
- Don’t bend over or crouch down.
- Throw things at the mountain lion if it continues to move toward you.
- If the mountain lion attacks, fight back using anything around you.
- Report all sightings, encounters or attacks to local park rangers or law enforcement.
