March 29th, we found yet another large scat on the section of Interpretive Trail that leads up to the “overlook” above the confluence. This pile was similar in size to both previous ones and was dried out completely like the second one. Another section of trail I had not been on since things dried out. This scat contained four more claws, bringing the total number up to ten found on the Interpretive Loop.
claw
More lion scat, more lion claws
More interesting news. March 27th I found another large scat pile that contained three more claws and what looks like a very small premolar or an incisor. It was on the section of Interpretive Trail between the meadow switchbacks and the junction where it joins the mail loop again. I hadn’t been on this section since the winter and it was completely dried out, indicating it had been there for a while. This brings the total up to 6 claws and two teeth from apparently a young Mt. Lion eaten by a much larger lion.
Mountain Lion scat containing claws and a tooth
Feb. 16 2009 I found a rather large Mt. Lion scat on the Interpretive Trail just above the confluence of Big Creek and Devils Creek. It contained lots of small bones but also three claws and a tooth. I have gotten confirmation from three trusted sources that these bones belong to a mountain lion, probably a juvenile killed by an adult male. Since mountain lions are very territorial, this is not at all uncommon. The very intriguing thing is that none of the folks who identified the bones have ever read about a mountain lion actually eating another lion. John Smiley said, “it must have been hungry to eat the skull and paws!”
