Wildlife
our wild neighbors
Los Angeles is home to an incredibly vast variety of plants, mammals, birds, insects, aquatic life, and reptiles. When you hear “urban wildlife” you may immediately think of rodents, raccoons, or pigeons (all of whom play their own important roles in our ecosystem!) but when we say urban wildlife we also mean the animals who move throughout our city less visibly. Below are some highlighted species who live in our foothills, can be found on AFC Preserves, or who you may be lucky enough to spot on a hike around Los Angeles.
Mountain Lion (Puma concolor)
Mountain lions, also known as pumas or cougars, are what we call an “umbrella species” because of their large habitat requirement. They typically need 13x the amount of habitat than a black bear and 40x the amount of a bobcat. When mountain lions are thriving in an ecosystem it is a good indication that other species will be able to thrive there as well.
Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
The black bear is the smallest of the three bears that reside in North America. Despite their name, their coat can actually be black, brown, blonde, or even white. Black bears are actually quite timid, and are rarely aggressive unless defending their young.
Coyote (Canis latrans)
The coyote is an incredibly adaptive animal. As cities have encroached onto and taken over what was originally their territory, they’ve become very skilled at living amongst humans. Rodents are a large part of their diet, and by keeping rodent populations in check, as well as eating carrion and insects, coyotes are a key and vital part of keeping our ecosystem healthy and clean.
Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
Bobcats are quite common in our region, but odds are, you’ve never (or rarely) seen this neighbor. Their solitary and nocturnal habits keep them hidden from sight, and their small size (larger than a house cat but much smaller than a mountain lion) makes it easy for them to avoid human contact. Despite their size, like most predators, bobcats are territorial and need their space. They’ll often mark their territory by scratching or leaving scent marks on trees or rocks. They usually den in hollow trees but can also be found hiding under decks and porches.
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
You can recognize these deer by their large ears (mule-like, hence the name) and black tipped tail. Males have forked antlers, meaning each side splits into two beams, which split further into two prongs. Bucks shed their antlers in January or February, after breeding season, and their new antlers typically finish growing by the middle of the summer. Mule Deer are the largest herbivores in our region, foraging around dusk and dawn for grasses, tender shoots, young shrubs, acorns, and certain flowering plants. Their predators include our local Mountain Lions. TIP: Does like to leave their fawns in safe places while they forage. So if you come across a baby deer on its own, just leave it be! Fawns can die from the stress of well-meaning humans trying to intervene, and the mother may stay away longer if they sense the presence of humans or dogs.
Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
Gray foxes are playful creatures. They’re the only member of the canine family who can climb trees – helpful for both hunting and hiding. Their short and strong legs help them stay balanced while climbing, and their hooked claws allow gray foxes to pull themselves up tree trunks and branches. Gray foxes are omnivores who adapt their diet to the changes of seasons. They are both a predator and prey species. Their natural predators include mountain lions, bobcats, owls, hawks, and coyotes. Sadly, their most significant predators are humans, who hunt these foxes for sport and for their fur.
Other wildlife in our area
- Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
- Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
- California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)
- Western gray squirrel (Sciuridae Sciurus)
- Desert cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus audubonii)
- Merriam’s chipmunk (Tamias merriami)
- Botta’s pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae)
- Side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana)
- Southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)
- Tiger whiptail lizard (Aspidoscelis tigris)
- Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)
- Skilton’s skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus)
- Southern pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri)
- Striped racer (Coluber lateralis)
- Western toad (Anaxyrus boreas)