Beth Pratt Bergstrom, author of a new book “When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors”, will be speaking on Saturday, July 9th at the Mariposa Democratic Club meeting. The meeting starts at 9:45 a.m. at Miner’s Roadhouse; please join us at 9:00 a.m. if you want to purchase breakfast first.

Living in mountain lion country can be easy, or challenging, based on different circumstances; to help us out, Pratt Bergstrom has just written a book entitled, “When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors.”  After many years of living in the foothills and observing wildlife, she has become a “spokesperson” for wildlife. This book is inspired by P-22, a male mountain lion who lives in the middle of Los Angeles.

Formerly the head of the Yosemite Conservancy, she is currently the California Director for the National Wildlife Federation. Pratt Bergstrom says, "My life's work involves conservation. And for wildlife to have a future in California--and the rest of the world--we need to foster a daily relationship with wildlife and nature...I want to focus on the awe."

In Mariposa we seldom see mountain lions. We are more likely to hear them or see their very long tails as they run across the road. Occasionally, someone will report a sighting or report losing a small animal. Small animals, and sometimes goats, are lost to these natural predators. Other times people see them chasing deer. Current law protects mountain lions except in cases of imminent threat to public health or safety.  Reports of mountain lion attacks are extremely rare and there are fairly simple ways of protecting yourself.

Besides being in rural California, where mountain lions are expected, there are many living in urban areas, hidden for everyday view and rarely seen. To facilitate their movement in the wild areas of large urban areas, Pratt Bergstrom is currently working on building a bridge over Highway 101, flowing through the San Fernando Valley. These bridges are also called wildlife corridors. During the past year at least one mountain lion has been hit by a car as it attempted to cross the freeway. These bridges are used in other part of the nation, as well as in Europe, so encroaching suburbs can live within mountain lion habitat.

Please be sure to attend this informative talk and bring your questions. This event is sponsored by the Mariposa Democratic Club as a service to the citizens of Mariposa County; everyone is welcome regardless of political affiliation.

The Mariposa Democratic Club meets the second Saturday of most months at Miner’s Roadhouse Restaurant. We will NOT be meeting in August this year.  Join us at 9:00 a.m. if you want to purchase breakfast or at 9:45 a.m. for the speaker and meeting.

Call 209-742-1010 if you have any questions. For more information on the club, please visit our website at: MariposaDemocraticClub.org, or visit us on Facebook.