94 



YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES 



From "Mamm.ils of lake 7 \ihnr" /■> Robert T. Orr. CoHTltly of publisher, California Academy of Sciences. 



CALIFORNIA RIVER OTTER 



water, and seem to enjoy themselves thor- 

 oughly on these "chutes." 



There are possibly 12 California 

 mountain lions in Yosemite National 

 Park. This need give little alarm to the 

 visitor. Never in park history has one 

 molested a human. Only by good fortune 

 are you likely to see one, because they 

 habitually avoid people. They have been 

 seen along the Wawona Road, in Yo- 

 semite Valley, and near Mather. Some- 

 times tracks are found near Mirror Lake. 



A mountain lion is 6 to 8 feet long, 

 tawny, or grayish brown, with a long, 



rope-like tail. Kittens are spotted and 

 may retain some evidence of this until 

 six months old. The tail is longer than 

 that of young wildcats. 



The range in the park is mainly that 

 of the deer. Since deer drop into the 

 country outside the park in winter, lions 

 are often killed there. Therefore, the 

 number in the park is not likely to 

 increase. Besides deer, mountain lions 

 feed on lesser animals. 



California wildcats are far from un- 

 common in Yosemite. They are from 2 l /z 



PIC MATTJON 

 From "Mammals of Lake Taboe" by Robert T. Orr. Courtesy of publisher, Cal.fornia Academy of Sciemes. 



CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN LION 



