Mountain Lions in Berkeley? Mike Davis once wrote a book called Ecology of Fear where he took on the bad rap mountain lions have gotten. Through no fault of their own, they must struggle to survive as humans invade their habitat. He described the voracious and amoebic development of Los Angeles with its negative unintended consequences as it sprawled over the former wild and wetlands, wiping out predators and spreading disease.
It was horrifying enough to read about this happening in LA — but — is the same thing occurring in Berkeley of all places? Why was a mountain lion scrounging for food behind Chez Panisse? And why, oh why, did Berkeley Police shoot the lion dead? What is their excuse for this killing, how did they justify their actions in their report of the incident? Did they say the Cat “assume a fighting stance” or did the officer claim to confuse his gun for a tazer?
In all seriousness, this loss of life is sad, including for those who love this area, and are committed to bioregionalism…RIP LION.