This is the closest you'll likely ever get to a mountain lion — hopefully! Check out this trail camera footage from Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: A curious cat investigates a trail camera with a big sniff. Interestingly, mountain lions have a fairly weak sense of smell. Instead, these big cats rely on their sensitive hearing and excellent night vision. They're able to hear frequencies in the ultrasonic range and they're able to move their ears independently to isolate sounds, both which help detect hidden prey. We've been working for years to protect these iconic big cats in California. In fact, recently certain populations were granted protections under the California Endangered Species Act. Under the Act, a recovery plan could be enacted to help ensure that mountain lions continue to inspire future generations — along with more support to minimize harms from development, roads and more. We'll continue our work to protect California's mountain lions and ...