Entries by Penny

What does it take to really connect with Nature?

For people to care, especially about things they may rarely see, there must first be a ‘connection’, a bond, an indelible knowing that our mutual existences depend very much on the cognitive decision making of the human animal. P22 shone a light on exactly how habitat loss impacts a single animal, yet represents every animal […]

A President’s Unexpected Legacy

As we celebrate Presidents’ Day 2023, let’s take a look at the history of mountain lions in California over the last century. We’ll see why that state has come to be the best example of having both the worst challenges for lions in the form of huge development, and some of the most progressive solutions […]

Mountain Lions matter

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign recently published a study that compounds previous evidence of the positive role large carnivores, such as cougars, have on the landscape. Known as a keystone species,  just like in architecture, lions’ presence or absence ‘holds up’ or ‘destabilizes’ the rest of a structure. In nature it is other species-both flora […]

It can’t be completed soon enough.

Sadly, another mountain lion was killed on a highway in Southern California this week. This comes on the heels of the vehicle collision death of four year old P81 on January 22nd this year. These human caused mortalities are a microcosm of the impacts that we have on the landscape. There is not much indication […]

Grizzly bears, different perspectives weigh in…

With the recent announcement of yet another look at the grizzly bear delisting process moving forward in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, voices are being heard, both expected and some not-so-much. The Cougar Fund was present in Missoula in the winter of 2013/14 when the delisting process started again, again. One of the most avid proponents […]

More misunderstanding in Wyoming

When legislation is considered about how to avoid stock depredations by wild predators, it can become mired in looking at short term solutions. Killing coyotes, foxes, wolves, mountain lions, and bears en masse, doesn’t really solve anything. It is a very temporary ‘fix’. Let’s take a moment to ask ourselves why we opt for widespread […]

Legislative News

The most challenging aspect of advocating for wildlife is the uncertainty of whether our efforts are making progress or if we are losing ground. This is particularly relevant when it comes to recognizing that every species plays a role in the ecosystem.  Requesting consideration for the ecological impact of large carnivores is not just about […]