Joe Rogan told listeners that some state wildlife policies, he argues, have allowed mountain lions to multiply and begin preying on household pets. Speaking with hunters Cameron Hanes and Adam Greentree, Rogan cited a Bay Area dietary analysis he says shows a large share of mountain lion diets includes dogs and cats. He compared the issue to Japan's bear problem, warned of risks to people and pets, and urged stronger population control measures, including hunting in some cases.
Joe Rogan Warns 'Monsters' — Says Mountain Lions Are Preying On Pets, Blames State Wildlife Policies
Joe Rogan and his guests agreed that naive people in cities vote for policies that enable the unchecked spread of dangerous predatory animals.
Podcaster Joe Rogan on Tuesday argued that certain state policies have allowed mountain lion populations to grow and, he says, begin preying on household pets in U.S. neighborhoods. Rogan discussed the issue on his podcast while speaking with hunters Cameron Hanes and Adam Greentree and pointed to a taxidermied mountain lion he keeps in his lobby as an example.
According to the conversation, the animal had a history of destructive behavior and was reportedly killed while feeding on a dairy cow that had been immobilized. Rogan described the animal's actions as alarming and compared the threat to a supernatural menace.
"It's like a werewolf's loose in your town," Rogan said as he recounted the animal's reported rampage.
Rogan also referenced a separate wildlife problem in Japan, noting an increase in brown bear encounters as the hunting population ages. He said the situation there has grown severe enough that Japan's Self-Defense Forces were called in to assist with population control efforts.
On the domestic front, Rogan criticized what he described as inaction by some states to manage mountain lion numbers. He cited a dietary analysis from the San Francisco Bay Area that, he said, found a substantial share of mountain lion diets consisted of dogs and cats.
Mountain lions are one of California's deadliest predators.
"They're doing nothing to curb the population. ... It kills your dog, OK?" Rogan warned. "Fifty percent of their diet is eating people's pets. So they're hunting people's pets."
Rogan argued that compassionate views about letting nature take its course can have direct consequences for people and their pets. He said population control — including hunting in some circumstances — is necessary to reduce dangerous encounters.
Both Hanes and Greentree raised concerns about how urban voting patterns influence wildlife policy, suggesting city voters can outvote rural residents on rules that affect residents' ability to manage predators. Rogan also shared an account from Hanes about being chased by a mountain lion while on an evening run in California to underscore the personal risks he believes come from leaving predators unchecked.
"That is the consequence of letting monsters live in your neighborhood," Rogan said. "That's the difference between people that really understand what we're talking about and people that are looking at this from this knee-jerk love and compassion for nature perspective."
He concluded by defending hunting in pragmatic terms, joking that trophy hunting could be reframed as "monster control," and saying, "I love animals, but I am on team 'People.'"
Note: The remarks described here are Rogan's opinions shared on his podcast. The details about dietary studies and local wildlife management are reported as he presented them; readers interested in policy or scientific specifics should consult primary sources or local wildlife authorities.
