A pair of lions starved to death on their way back to their mates.

Two male cougars translocated from the eastern Sierra Nevada to the Mojave Desert have starved to death while trying to return home.

Cougars are territorial creatures. Photo: iStock — Cougars are territorial creatures. Photo: *iStock*

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) relocated two cougars, L147 and L176, to a new habitat about 200 miles away in 2021. However, they attempted to return to their original home, possibly to their mates, and did not survive the journey, Newsweek reported on August 31.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) annual report on the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, L147 was found on March 29, 2021, emaciated, indicating starvation as the cause of death. Meanwhile, L176 was found near death and had to be euthanized on May 12, 2021.

Both L147 and L176 used their own tunnels to cross I-15, the report said, demonstrating the importance of dedicated wildlife paths across major highways. The report suggested the cougars' relocation was a test to see if they would cross I-15 and return home. But according to the Los Angeles Times , that's not true, and a new report on the bighorn sheep from 2021-2022 reveals they were actually moved as an alternative to euthanasia.

Cougars prey on endangered bighorn sheep in the Sierra Nevada. Only 125 lived in the area in the 1990s. This spurred conservation efforts, which increased the population to 277 by 2022.

"At the time, CDFW was exploring alternatives to killing the cougars on site. We regret that the cougars died this way and will learn from this incident," said Jordan Traverso, a CDFW spokesman. CDFW has no plans to relocate cougars in the future.

“Pupas are territorial creatures, in tune with their surroundings. Relocation can cause severe disorientation and stress, leading to reduced survival rates, reduced hunting success, and increased susceptibility to disease due to unfamiliar surroundings,” said Zara McDonald, a biologist with the Bay Area Cougar Project.

Thu Thao (According to Newsweek )

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