Hear our interview: Click this audio link.

By Miriam Raftery

November 30, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Efforts are underway to declare mountain lions endangered species in portions of Southern California. “Their habitat is being fragmented,” wildlife biologist Renee Owens with Wild Zone Conservation told ECM in an interview on our radio show that originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM in October. 

In California, the number one cause of mortality for mountain lions is being struck by vehicles while crossing roadways.  In addition, some 200 depradation permits are issued each year in California allowing the killing of mountain lions, usually because they are preying on livestock. “Nationwide, we know that over 3,000 mountain lions a year are reported to have died,” Owens says.

The Mountain Lion Foundation and the Center for Biological Diversity have petitioned the state to list mountain lions as protected because some isolated populations are “literally in danger of extinction.”  Owens says experts suspect this is also happening in San Diego, where recent numbers show the lions are “actually in decline," according to Owens.

Scroll down for highlights from the interview, or listen to the full interview on the audio link.

"'Expect a lot of ups and downs', because both teams were great teams and we're in their house, and we expected a big crowd, loud, and that's pretty much what it was" -- Steele Canyon head volleyball coach Karolyn Kirby

by Christopher Mohr

October 26, 2010 (El Cajon) - Monday night's (10/25) girls high school volleyball match at Grossmont High School between the host Foothillers and the visiting Cougars of Steele Canyon High School had about everything you could want in a sporting event. No one could have gone home feeling cheated with two contenders for the Grossmont Hills league title facing each other in a highly competitive, playoff-like atmosphere.

"I think our kids kept fighting, the offense--when the defense surrendered points, came back...our kids handled adversity well."

-- Steele Canyon Head Coach Ron Boehmke

by Christopher Mohr

September 14, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) - When a team wins by a score of 28-14, it's not indicative of a blowout or total domination, but usually the winning team had some degree of control over the game. Although Steele Canyon won by that score Friday night at home against Bonita Vista (from Chula Vista), the game was much closer than the final score would suggest. The Cougars overcame dropped passes, turnovers, penalties and injuries in a hard-fought win over the Barons and improved to 2-0 on the season.