Co-Existence starts with understanding

The Spirit of the Wild Still Walks Among Us
Honoring the cougar means protecting the mystery and balance of the wild.

There are few moments in nature more unforgettable than locking eyes with a cougar.

Silent. Watchful. Powerful.
A ghost of the wilderness moving through the landscape almost unseen.

For decades, I’ve photographed wild animals across the world, but cougars have always held a special place in my heart. They embody something increasingly rare in our modern world — true wildness.

On this National Cougar Day, I hope people will look beyond the myths and fears that have surrounded these incredible cats for generations and instead see what they truly represent: healthy ecosystems, resilience, and the untamed spirit of the American West.

My journey as a cougar advocate deepened after an extraordinary encounter years ago on the National Elk Refuge, when a mountain lion and her three cubs emerged quietly from the shadows. It was one of those moments that changes you forever. Not because it was dramatic — but because it revealed how much we still have to lose if we fail to protect places where wild animals can thrive.

That experience helped inspire the creation of The Cougar Fund, an organization dedicated to education, conservation, and helping people and cougars coexist.

Cougars don’t ask for much from us. Only space to roam, healthy habitat, and the chance to remain wild.

Ways You Can Help Protect Cougars
Learn more about these remarkable animals and the important role they play in nature.
Share facts and stories that help replace fear with understanding.
Support conservation efforts that protect habitat and promote coexistence.

The future of cougars depends not only on science and policy — but on whether people still believe wildness is worth protecting.

Thank you for standing with us for the wild.

— Thomas D. Mangelsen