Embattled rancher responds p-45
“I don’t know what to do" ACORN DEC 8 16
IN HARM’S WAY—Alpacas that survived the cougar attack at Vaughn-Perling’s ranch. The rancher is working with officials to find ways to better protect the animals.Frustrated and afraid, Victoria Vaughn-Perling decided to act.
Having lost 10 of her beloved alpacas Nov. 19 in a single mountain lion attack, the rancher turned to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for help.
What they suggested started a firestorm, with Vaughn-Perling at the center.
The 58-year-old Malibu resident now says she never wanted P-45, the cougar believed to be responsible for the death of her livestock and many others, killed. She just wanted the big cat to leave her property and pets alone.
But when her request to have the puma relocated was denied, she said, the only option Fish and Wildlife officials presented was to apply for a depredation permit, allowing her to shoot dead the 5-year-old male cougar.
‘I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO’—Victoria Vaughn-Perling stands by the fence that was breached by a mountain lion Nov. 19 when 10 of her 25 alpacas were killed. Photos by STEPHANIE BERTHOLDO/Acorn NewspapersFollowing a wave of negative media attention and far-reaching outcry from supporters of the rare Southern California mountain lions, Vaughn-Perling announced through her attorney last week that she would not make good on the permit.
Instead, she’s working with the Mountain Lion Foundation, Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and the National Wildlife Federation to erect the proper enclosures to protect the rest of her alpaca herd.
Living in the wild
A former Agoura Hillsresident, Vaughn-Perling and her husband bought the 3-acre ranch near Mulholland Highway and Decker Canyon Road in the hills above Malibu four years ago and eventually made it their permanent residence.
MEME—A woman makes a plea for the cougar’s safety during a public meeting last week in Agoura. STEPHANIE BERTHOLDOAcorn NewspapersAs they started the task of restoring the property, they purchased numerous alpacas and planned to use the animals’ fleece to make scarves, blankets, hats and other items, she said.
They had planned to rent out the ranch once it was renovated and hoped to sell alpaca products as a side business. But the animals were more than just livestock, she said. They were her pets.
Each of her alpacas were named, and each had a distinct personality, she said.
“Feragamo, a beautiful Siri male who survived a previous attack, defended his females,” Vaughn-Perling said.
When the mountain lion jumped the fence the evening of Dec. 19, Vaughn-Perling was not at the ranch.
A friend called around 11 p.m. to tell her of the attack. Vaughn- Perling returned home around 3 a.m. Nov. 20 to find that 10 of her 25 of alpacas had been killed.
Last month’s attack by P-45 wasn’t the first, she said. A mountain lion attack in July left another 10 alpacas dead on her property.
Vaughn-Perling said she worked over the summer with Los Angeles County Animal Control on better fencing, and built a three-sided structure with a roof, but it was too small to contain her herd. An open, fenced area near the enclosure remained in use.
The ranching novice said that until this year she was unaware she needed an elaborate setup to protect against cougar attacks. She paid $2,000 for the installation of electric fencing, to little effect.
“(The mountain lion) jumped over it,” Vaughn-Perling said. “I was sleeping in the car because I was afraid they would come back.”
Without the funds to purchase a state-of-the-art enclosure, Vaughn-Perling said, she resorted to other means to keep the big cats away.
She blared talk radio at night. She flooded the area with bright lights. But both methods ran afoul of Malibu ordinances.
Help on the way
Kuehl, the Mountain Lion Foundation and the National Wildlife Federation offered the rancher four enclosures to house her 15 remaining alpacas, but for now the agencies are trying to figure out which enclosures meet local standards.
“I don’t know what to do,” Vaughn-Perling said. “But I feel nothing but gratitude for anybody that helps.”
She is now considering crowdfunding since the enclosures that are being offered by the foundation and other agencies may not be adequate.
The rancher said she feared for her life during the public outcry over P-45.
“Sheila (Kuehl) was the only positive call I received,” Vaughn-Perling said. “Others were negative or threatening. I feel like my life has been threatened. The vitriol from some members of the community has been recast in the media (as an animal rights issue).”
Regarding P-45’s growing list of kills, National Park Service researchers who have studied mountain lions for over decade say he is simply acting on instinct.
Livestock in unprotected areas becomes easy picking for mountains lions and other predators such as coyotes.
“The issue is much bigger than just one animal,” NPS spokesperson Kate Kuykendall said. “It’s an easy meal. If livestock is not protected from dusk to dawn this will continue to happen.
“This won’t stop until we come up with long-term solutions that protect all animals,” she said.
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