Mountain Lion collars

Cougartown · Post by **Cougartown** » Sat Aug 01, 2026 8:06 pm

We recently had footage of a collared moutain lion on our trail camera in the San Gabriels. We were not aware that there was any entity tracking moutain lions in the San Gabriels (versus Santa Ana/Santa Monica mountains). We tried reading the tag... maybe 2332 but not sure. How do I learn more about this specific moutain lion?

Also, recently another wildlife enthusiast put up cameras in the same canyon we have cameras in. Hello to you, if you're reading this.

Post by **dima** » Sat Aug 01, 2026 10:41 pm

This is a radio collar, or just a numbered tag? If this is a part of a scientific study, there will be public papers that talk about the details. Look around on google scholar? Or share the photo?

Post by **Sean** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 5:58 am

Probably the CDFW.

Cougartown · Post by **Cougartown** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 7:30 am

Google was not much helpful in our search for this specific moutain lion.
Researchers in collaboration with National Park Service is the usual answer.
Santa Monica moutains tagging seems to be using P-## for puma while Santa ana uses F### or M### for female or male. This is our conclusion from posts and articles.
The picture is a bit blurry but we have a hard time seeing a letter.

So where could this one be coming from?

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 6:01 pm

Johanna might know something about this. Then again, this might all be over my head!

https://www.facebook.com/Cougarmagic

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 7:27 pm

Hi! I still lurk quite a bit. This is really interesting. I don't know for sure, but assume the agency doing the collaring on this lion is CDFW. I will ask a couple of contacts. If so, they'll be interested in the sighting and hopefully be able to give out some details.

The National Park Service doing the Santa Monica mountains study doesn't use numbered ear tags and their study is focused on the Santa Monicas so it's not one of theirs.

I don't recognize the canyon, and I only have cams in the Verdugos right now so the other cam isn't mine.

. Cool looking spot though.

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 7:43 pm

Mannnnn! Who would have thought that we'd have cougarmagic AND cougartown in the same thread on this humble forum?!

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 8:03 pm

Matthew wrote: Sun Aug 02, 2026 7:43 pm Mannnnn! Who would have thought that we'd have cougarmagic AND cougartown in the same thread on this humble forum?!

If you say my name three times and post a picture of animal poop, I appear.

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 8:44 pm

Cougarmagic
Cougarmagic
Cougarmagic

IMG_0835.jpeg

Cougartown · Post by **Cougartown** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 9:20 pm

Cougarmagic
Cougarmagic
Cougarmagic

Here is more poop. Bobcat or maybe an owl pellet ?

IMG_20260802_211523.jpg

And the other seems to be a cat?

IMG_20260802_211532.jpg

we could do a whole different post about poop but not sure many would get involved

Anyway, thanks for lurking, if you get any information, we would love to know who this moutain lion is or where he/she comes from... It is not the only one

(see below) but this was the first collared moutain lion we have seen on all our cameras, it may only traveling through as we only saw it once so far.

VID_20260712_151211(1).jpg

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Aug 02, 2026 9:56 pm

Cougartown wrote: Sun Aug 02, 2026 9:20 pm we could do a whole different post about poop but not sure many would get involved

All scat, all the time