the range is home to mountain lion, black bear, elk, mule deer, pronghorn, goshawk, and wild turkey and contains several thousand acres of critical habitat for the threatened mexican spotted owl. ponderosa, oak, aspen, spruce, fir, and all three juniper types are found in the san mateos. the san mateos were listed in a 2004 report by the nature conservancy as a key conservation area due to their ecological diversity and species richness and are important breeding ground for mountain lions.