NEWSLINK: A lion tale: Humans cause most mountain lion deaths in Southern California

The biggest threat to Southern California mountain lions is us, confirms a comprehensive 13-year study of the population's mortality and survival from the University of California, Davis.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, combined genetic and demographic data to determine that even though hunting mountain lions is prohibited in California, humans caused more than half the known deaths of mountain lions studied. Most were killed through vehicle collisions, depredation permits, illegal shootings, public-safety removals or human-caused wildfire. Annual survival rates were only about 56 percent.

Exacerbating the problem is an interstate highway, I-15, a major thoroughfare connecting San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties that has proven nearly impossible for the mountain lions to cross. It bisects the study area, which stretches from Orange County, south to the Mexican border and east to the Salton Sea. Crossing the interstate, especially for the animals of breeding age, is important for this population's declining genetic diversity -- and long-term health and survival.

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NEWSLINK: Tiger mating attempt takes brutal turn

The city zoo authority's hopes of increasing the white tiger count came crashing down last week. A white tiger set free to mate with the tigress in an enclosure, left the female with injuries on her tail.

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NEWSLINK: Goats killed in leopard attack

In a suspected leopard attack, four goats were killed in Marayur on Thursday.


The four goats found killed belonged to a couple - Amuda and Selvam - hailing from Chinnavara. 

The couple had gone away for work and when they returned home at around 11 am, they saw the carcasses of the goats lying in a pool of blood in the courtyard.


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NEWSLINK: Lion-like animal sighting confirmed in Milwaukee

Just when you might have thought the lion sightings last week in Milwaukee were a bit of the rumor mill gone off the rails, the Milwaukee Police Department late Saturday said there had been a confirmed sighting of a "lion-like animal" near N. 30th St. and W. Fairmount Ave.


At 7:15 p.m. police and staff of the Department of Natural Resources responded to the area.


Police said they had not located the animal but had "contained" the area and were in the neighborhood throughout the night.


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NEWSLINK: Leopard attacks, injures, 4

A leopard attacked and injured four people at Bansauli village under Pathariya police station of Damoh district on Thursday.

The forest department team, along with police force, has cordoned off a nullah on the outskirts of the village, where the animal is probably hiding and rescue teams have been called from Pench Tiger Reserve and Jabalpur.

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VIDEO: Raccoon outfoxes lion's dinner plans

A trio of mountain lions frequenting a cave near Tucson, and a raccoon making off like a bandit with a bunny meant for a fox's dinner are featured in recent videos shot by a local big-game guide.


Chipper Beiner spotted the cave while he was out hunting with his hound dogs.


"When I crawled threw the brush into it it was cool and wet and has tons of bones laying around. There are bones from several kinds of animals including Coues deer and javelina," he said.


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NEWSLINK: Rare snow leopards arrive in the Highlands

A pair of endangered snow leopards have arrived at a wildlife park in the Highlands.


The big cats went on show at the RZSS Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie - the only place in Scotland where the stunning species can be seen, The hope is that the pair will eventually have cubs and help to increase the worldwide population of these big cats.


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