Outrage after two mountain lions died when California wildlife officials moved them from the mountains to the Mojave Desert

Outrage has mounted after two mountain lions died when conservationists moved them from California’s mountains to the Mojave Desert — as the state admits “in hindsight” it was a mistake.

The two male mountain lions that were moved starved to death while trying to return home to their female counterparts to protect them.

“In hindsight, it wasn’t a good place to release those lions,” said Tom Stephenson, a senior environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“We’re not moving them into that environment anymore,” Stephenson added.

Environmentalists have apprehended those responsible for removing the animals, identified as L147 and L176, calling the decision to move them “disturbing.”

“Maybe we should find those responsible for this travesty at the Dept. or Fish and Wildlife, put a tracking collar on them and release them into the Mojave Desert. Let’s see how they like it,” David Freeman commented of the move.

The cougars were dropped some 400 miles from their home and were reportedly looking for a way to get back home to their female counterparts.

L147 was found dead in a deserted part of the desert, while L176 was found in an extremely emaciated state and had to be euthanized several months later.

According to wildlife experts, the decision to move the animals was especially confusing given the male mountain lion’s natural instincts.

Male mountain lions, when removed from their habitat, will often try to return to their habitat to protect their females from attacks and other potential mates.

The animals were discovered in March and May 2021, but the uproar stems from a recently published report on the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program.

The program monitors the federally endangered bighorns and their predators.

It was because the mountain lions were encountered attacking a bighorn that they were removed from the environment in the first place.

The Mojave Desert was ostensibly chosen as an experiment that authorities hoped would demonstrate that the area was viable for animals of their species.

“Given their return instinct, the hope was that the Mojave Desert would function as a barrier to prevent their return to the Sierra,” the report said.

“The region of the eastern Mojave they moved to has plenty of prey in the southeast…Unfortunately, their home instincts drove them to return to the northwest,” the report continued.

Male mountain lions, when removed from their habitat, will often try to return to their habitat to protect their females (file photo of a mountain lion)

The experiment quickly went awry, and in the report, the group of officials acknowledged that more thought and research should have been done.

“More important and practical factors that should influence mountain lion behavior, such as prey availability and habitat prominence, have received less attention,” the report said.

In the end, the animals “had difficulty finding prey in an unfamiliar environment.”

Conservationists immediately faced backlash after the report was published.

Social media outrage began abruptly, with proponents decrying the “experiment.”

“The deaths of the mountain lions mentioned in the report are tragic, and reading about their deaths ached my heart,” Brent Lyles, executive director of the Mountain Lion Foundation, told the Los Angeles Times.

“Looking back at the end result, I wish they had considered more factors, such as habitat suitability for that particular lion,” he said.

“But I’m sure those researchers feel the same way when they look back on their actions,” added the Mountain Lion Foundation representative.

Others shared their horror at the conservationists’ lack of thought in dropping the animals into a desolate area they were unfamiliar with.

“I’m surprised these geniuses didn’t drop them off on an iceberg,” one wrote.

“The best and brightest in the state government,” said another.

‘Why did they do that? Because they are as stupid as stones and bear no responsibility. Our tax money provides employment for the unemployed,” wrote another.