Living with Lions: Pasadenans Learn How to Better Coexist with Wild Neighbors

Most residents in Pasadena don’t realize they’re sharing their neighborhoods with some of California’s most distinctive predators: a genetically unique population of mountain lions that regularly traverse the city’s northern edges.

“A lot of Pasadenans are coexisting with cougars most of the time without even really being aware that they’re there,” said Korinna Domingo, founder and executive director of Cougar Conservancy, who has spent nearly a decade in human-wildlife conflict mitigation.

That invisible coexistence is about to become more intentional.

This Saturday, the city will host its first-ever mountain lion safety training, free and open to the public, responding to increasing evidence that the big cats are venturing deeper into urban areas from their traditional San Gabriel Mountain habitat.

The training, funded by the Pasadena Community Foundation and held at Eaton Canyon Nature Center arrives at a critical moment.

Data from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Incident Reporting System confirms regular mountain lion sightings along the city’s northern boundary, with documented evidence of cougars moving southward into the city.

“Of the very limited data we have on cougar attacks on people, we do see that children are most represented in that data. We have an age-appropriate way to talk about trail safety with youth and families,” Domingo explained.

The Cougar Conservancy, established in 2020 following the controversial killing of mountain lion P-56, approaches the challenge through science-based management.

The morning session, from 10 a.m. to noon, features family activities including hands-on “cougar biologist” exercises and wildlife safety trivia.

The afternoon session, running until 1:30 p.m. for participants 16 and older, includes analysis of real cougar encounters, comprehensive safety protocols, and practical instruction on using deterrent tools like bear spray and air horns.

“The San Gabriel Mountains really acts as an important connectivity area for mountain lions to get from the Eastern Peninsula range into the San Gabriels,” Domingo explained. “They’re genetically distinct from other subpopulations in California.”

“We can serve cougars using a human-centered approach to conflict resolution, which means that if we can keep people safe on the trail, that helps prevent the attacks that ultimately lead to individual cougars being killed,” Domingo said.

The nonprofit organization, which has produced over 80 educational videos on coexistence strategies, maintains a 24-hour hotline for reporting cougar conflicts. The event will be held at Eaton Canyon Nature Center, 1750 N. Altadena Drive in Pasadena.

Those seeking information about cougar encounters can call the organization’s hotline: 1-800-930-1087.