Foothills Sentry April 2021

Foothills Sentry Page 8 April 2021 Looking for a Real Estate Agent? Call Jasmine Wesley (714) 910-4631 jasmine@prestige-realtyca.com The land of Mufasa’s ghost By Robert Detrano On a cold February morning, Mom nudged me out of a deep sleep. It was too dark to see my already-awakened sister on the other side of the lair. Three days ago, my sister had helped take down our first coyote. Today we were hoping for a deer. Mom led us out of the sage and onto the soft dewy golf course grass. She froze and signalled us to si- lence. Just 20 yards away, near the shoulder of Antonio Parkway, a small doe was grazing in the moonlight. The doe’s ears pricked up. She sniffed the air and then stepped toward the highway. In a flash, she bolted across the road. Mom followed like the lightning. I pulled my brain out of its sleepy state and jumped a second later. Mom’s scream and then my pain! The pain in my shoulder made me forget the last sound I heard from Mom’s mouth. Now, after my surgery, I remember her squeals and then silence as she ascended to the land of Mufasa’s ghost. On an early morning this past February, the female puma, F270, died in a hit-and-run collision in Santa Margarita. Her two or- phaned female kittens witnessed her death. The staffs of the Ser- rano Animal Hospital and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife used specially baited traps and tranquilizer guns to find and capture the kittens. One kit- ten was injured and is recovering from surgery at the animal hospi- tal. She will eventually join her sister in a San Diego facility that rehabilitates wildlife, in prepara- tion for return to the wild. Encounters with mountain li- ons are exciting -- but frighten- ing. When we see these animals near our homes, we remember reports of them hurting or even killing humans. Scientific facts to the wind. Emotional terror takes over. In the past 100 years, there have been three human deaths due to cougar attacks in Califor- nia. Fatal lion attacks occur less frequently than fatal snake bites, fatal lightning strikes, or fatal bee stings. On the other side of the coin, there have been over 42,000 wild animal road carcasses reported in the state between 2009 and 2018. Each year, Californians use their vehicles to kill over 6,000 deer, 400 coyotes, 200 bear and 100 mountain lions. Only a fraction of roadkill is reported. This is espe- cially true for deer that frequently suffer fatal injuries but succeed in escaping the road and die from their wounds in the wild. The cost to the animals, some of whom are being driven to ex- tinction, is immeasurable; but there is also human cost. State Farm Insurance estimates that California has more than 20,000 claims a year for such collisions at a total cost of $600 million. There are more than 250 human injuries resulting from these ac- cidents every year. Preventable animal deaths hap- pen very close to us. In 2020, the UC Davis Road Ecology Center reported at least four deer killed on Santiago Canyon Road. Other wildlife collision hotspots oc- cur on Ortega Highway, Antonio Parkway and the 241 and 261 toll roads. How can we reduce roadkill? In order of effectiveness: better fencing to separate roads from wildlife; well-placed overpass and underpass corridors to allow wildlife to cross; and better and increased numbers and quality of wildlife crossing signs. Wildlife fences, like that on the northern section of the 241 toll road, almost completely eliminate large animal collisions. However, if insufficient safe crossing op- portunities are not provided, the barrier effect of the fence increas- es habitat segmentation. There- fore, fences should always be accompanied with appropriately placed under or overpasses where animals can traverse the road. Wildlife signs are more effec- tive when obvious and interactive. Complex sign systems which de- tect large animals are even more effective. These systems are ac- tivated and flash warning signals after a large animal has been de- tected near the road. Right now, Orange County Public Works (OCPW) is up- grading Santiago Canyon Road. Unfortunately, the agency is not providing more wildlife crossing signs. Please contact OCPW and ask that appropriate measures are taken to decrease roadkill. Email ProjectInfo@ocpw.ocgov.com . Silverado resident Robert De- trano is a retired cardiologist and missionary doctor who is working to protect wildlife and habitat. The dark red line indicates more than two roadkills per mile per year. Lighter red is one per year; yellow, .5 per year and orange, .3. A mountain lion mother of two was killed in a hit-and-run acci- dent. The orphaned kittens, one injured, were rescued and taken to a wildlife rehab center. The injured kitten was first patched up at the Serrano Animal Hospital in Lake Forest. Photo by Mark Girardeau Map courtesy UC Davis Road Ecology Center Photos courtesy Serrano Animal Hospital American dream, school choice are topics at April ORWF meeting The Orange Republican Wom- en, Federated invites the public to its Friday, April 16 meeting at the Santa Ana Elks Lodge. The meeting, commencing at 11 a.m., begins with “Saving the American Dream,” a talk by Paula Prizio, OC GOP Youth Chair and UC Irvine college students Kimo Gandall and Anthony Mansfield, members of College Republicans. They will share the challenges of being conservatives and promot- ing a conservative voice on a lib- eral campus. Larry Shoaf, Ph.D., Chair, California School Choice Orange County, will also speak on “School Choice: A Solution for California’s Failing Schools.” School choice is an important issue that affects us as all, he says, parents, grandparents, or anyone concerned about the future of our children. A lunch prepared by the Elks Lodge chefs will be served. The cost is $25 per person, cash or check. To make a reservation, contact Peggy Baranyay at (714) 828-1289. The Elks Lodge is located at 1751 A. Lyon St., Santa Ana. For more information, contact Andrea Krupka, ORWF president at an- drea.krupka44@gmail.com . Woman’s Club of Orange donated gift cards totaling $1,645 to fami- lies of veterans who died in action. This project was part of the club’s connections with the Veterans Administration. The donations were col- lected by, from left, Irene Serna, Marty Brancucci, Suzanne Vaugine, Sandy Johnson and Rebecca Martinez.