Improving connectivity for pumas in the Diablo range

Why aren’t there Pumas in Mt. Diablo State Park? Felidae's PumaLink Project Aims to Find Out

Mt. Diablo State Park, nestled in the East Bay hills of the San Francisco Bay Area, offers what seems like ideal mountain lion habitat- abundant deer, dense forest cover, and rugged terrain. Yet, despite more than a decade of monitoring by Felidae and our partners, no pumas have been detected inside the park in over 12 years.

What’s keeping them out?

That’s the central question driving PumaLink, an ambitious research and mapping initiative launched in 2023 by Felidae Conservation Fund. The project seeks to uncover why pumas are not utilizing this seemingly prime habitat and whether we can change that.

Understanding Habitat and BarriersThe Mt. Diablo region lies in the Northern Diablo Range but is hemmed in by freeways, suburban development, and other forms of urban encroachment. These features may be acting as barriers to puma movement, preventing individuals from reaching or staying in the area.

To address this, Felidae is collaborating with the Conservation Biology Institute to identify core puma habitats in Contra Costa and Alameda counties and map the most critical movement barriers. Using advanced landscape connectivity modeling, the team is analyzing culverts, overpasses, underpasses, and other corridors that might help or hinder puma passage through this fragmented landscape. The project is also drawing on connectivity expertise from several biologists at California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and CalTrans. 

Building a Clearer Picture

In addition to modeling, PumaLink deploys camera traps across the East Bay to detect puma presence inside and outside of Mt. Diablo. The data collected will help build an updated habitat suitability map for pumas across the Diablo Range and inform future conservation strategies to reconnect isolated populations.

Help Us Map Puma Presence in the East Bay

Have you seen a mountain lion in the East Bay? Your observation can help! Citizen science plays a vital role in expanding our understanding of puma activity. Felidae maintains an online sightings map, where anyone can submit reports of mountain lions or bobcats in the region.

If you or someone you know has seen signs of a puma, such as a sighting, track, scat, or trail camera footage- please contribute:

Submit your sighting at https://bapp.org/meet-puma/sightings or,  you can email us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Be sure to include as much detail as possible: date, time, general location (e.g. trail, park, street), and any photos or videos if available.