Mountain lions in the Santa Cruz Mountains avoid trails used by humans during peak daytime hours, shifting activity to dawn and dusk.
Trail design and timing recommendations could reduce encounters by up to 60% without restricting access.
Researchers are expanding the study to other California regions with high recreation pressure.
This balance matters for both conservation and human safety—mountain lions are keystone species that maintain ecosystem health.
Mountain lions crossed trails 2.4 times more often at dawn/dusk than midday when human activity peaked.