The argument isn’t about how many sightings are reported in the paper, but simply how many take place. The fact that a newspaper always reports these sightings doesn’t cause the mountain lion to be seen. This is totally irrelevant, so it’s the best answer to the except question. If more people are in the park, that’s more eyes, which increases the likelihood of seeing a mountain lion. Choice (A) is a valid explanation, so it’s not a correct answer. If the red-tailed deer is on the hiking trails in these months, then the mountain lion will follow, and hikers will see more of the lion. Choice (C) is a valid explanation, so it’s not a correct answer. Bikers are more common in the spring, and more likely to startle lions, so the number of sightings by bike riders would increase in the spring. Choice (D) is a valid explanation, so it’s not a correct answer. Spring is the time when mountain lions come down to where the hikers are, increasing the likelihood that hikers will see them. Choice (E) is a valid explanation, so it’s not a correct answer.