Research overview: linkage design between the Santa Ana and Palomar ranges

Southern California's cougars persist in mountain ranges increasingly isolated by freeways and development, and this overview examines the science of designing functional linkages between blocks such as the Santa Ana and Palomar mountains. Building on early dispersal studies, researchers mapped where cats can still move, identified critical pinch points crossed by highways like Interstate 15, and proposed corridor protection and crossing structures to keep populations connected. The overview discusses how genetic evidence of inbreeding in the isolated Santa Ana population underscored the urgency of restoring connectivity. Linkage design integrates movement data, habitat modeling, and land-use planning to specify exactly which lands and crossings must be preserved or built. It exemplifies translating connectivity science into concrete, parcel-level conservation action for a felid population at risk of genetic collapse.