MOUNTAIN LION FOUNDATION
www.mountainlion.org
(916) 442-2666
Dear Senator Hill,
On behalf of our California members, the Mountain Lion Foundation (MLF)
enthusiastically supports Senate Bill 132. This legislation is long overdue and its
passage is essential in assuring the protection of mountain lions that have caused no
harm, and whose only mistake is to have accidentally wandered into contact with
humans.
Senate Bill 132 is also critical to providing the California Department ofFish and
Wildlife with the authority and assistance it needs to implement key provisions in the
Department’s new Human/Wildlife Interaction Guidelines.
With the ongoing loss of mountain lion habitat to human development, California’s
apex wildlife species will continue to corne into accidental contact with humans. As
the primary author of Proposition 117, MLF has a vested interest in assuring the
viability and continuing relevance of that landmark act. By amending Proposition
117 to require the use of nonlethal procedures where appropriate, Senate Bill 132
follows in the spirit of the original initiative and helps assure that only those lions
which pose an actual hazard to humans are killed in the name ofpublic health or
safety.
Senate Bill 132 also acknowledges the fiscal realities facing our state at this time and
assists the California Department of Fish and Wildlife by providing it with the
necessary authority to partner with qualified individuals, educational institutions,
governmental agencies, or nongovernmental organizations to assist in resolving
mountain lion encounters.
In closing, Senate Bill 132 is legislation which we believe has the overwhelming
support of California’s citizenry, and in the final analysis is the right thing to do to protect California’s priceless wildlife resources.
Sincerely,
Tim Dunbar
Executive Director
Sign the petition at: http://www.mountainlion.org/