Back in May Heartland Rewilding hosted a webinar called “Midwest Mountain Lions” with presenters Will Stolzenburg, Liz Hillard, and Brent Lyles. We wanted to thank everyone who was able to attend and those who will be viewing the recording, which can be found on our YouTube channel. 

In an effort to address any lingering questions or queries that may have arisen during the webinar, we have crafted this blog post to provide you with further clarity and information. We understand that time constraints and other factors may have limited the opportunity to fully explore certain topics, so we aim to bridge those gaps and offer a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Our intention is to provide you with a resource that not only answers any unanswered questions but also serves as a reference point for future exploration. Thank you once again for your enthusiastic participation, and we hope you find this blog post to be a valuable extension of our webinar experience.

“Aside from building wildlife corridors and stopping the hunting of mountain lions, what tips do you have for coexisting with mountain lions?”

Brent: This is a huge topic! The tips for productive coexistence depend on who is asking the question — for instance, the tips would be different for a hobby farmer, a suburbanite, or a weekend hiker. We’ve given this a lot of thought, so for anyone that’s interested in this topic, I’d recommend checking out the Coexistence section of the Mountain Lion Foundation’s website: https://mountainlion.org/coexistence/

“Can we gain public acceptance of mountain lions by learning how advocates have gained public acceptance of wolf restoration?”

Liz: I think that the strategies used to gain public acceptance for wolf restoration can absolutely serve as a starting point for mountain lion public acceptance work. Because people’s attitudes towards wolves and mountain lions are complex and informed by a variety of factors, a focus on mountain lion acceptance and tolerance would require a tailored approach to account for the unique ecological and social factors specific to mountain lions. 

“I believe for migratory birds there are some financial incentives for farmers who keep their land closer to their natural habitat. Is there a way we could establish similar programs for carnivores, including mountain lions?”

Kelly: There are numerous programs through the U.S. Farm Bill and other state and federal bills that provide incentives for landowners to leave or create more natural habitats. While many of these programs aren’t designed with carnivores in mind, good habitat for birds and deer is often good habitat for other wildlife. What we really need is better funding for these programs and a switch from a limited protection period to permanent protection.

“It has been theorized that the carrying capacity for humans in the United States is 200 million. As of 2021, there are 331.9 million people in the United States. Do you feel if the human population decreased through a lowered birth rate that we could establish a more harmonious lifestyle with our natural world and allow these animals to reestablish their own populations?”

Will: Fewer people could certainly make things easier for the big cats, given the problems these wide-ranging animals now have with our ever-sprawling numbers and related highways and developments that are now encroaching on their last wild spaces. But we’d still need to start practicing more concentrated, efficient, and greener development, And the bigger question would still be whether the lower number of us would correspond with, as you put it, “a more harmonious lifestyle with our natural world.” Remember that we eradicated these animals from 2/3 of this country when the national population was barely 100 million. And as I might have mentioned in my talk, it only takes a few haters with a gun to override the benevolent desires of the majority. Final point: It would be great if we could reduce our population, and our consumptive lifestyles, but barring that, we have the wherewithal right now to live again with eastern lions.

“How would you respond to someone who claims that eastern coyotes have “filled” the niche of cougars in the east, despite deer overpopulation still being a problem in eastern forests?”

Liz: While the ecological niches of mountain lions and coyotes can overlap, they typically occupy different niches within an ecosystem. Mountain lions are true apex predators, feeding primarily on large prey such as deer and elk. Deer are not coyote’s primary prey, instead, they are more opportunistic, consuming a variety of prey that includes small mammals, birds, insects, and the occasional deer. Research suggests that coyotes’ impact on deer populations is relatively minor since coyotes only take a small percentage of deer in any given population. This can help explain why we still have large deer populations in the east with an increasing coyote presence. 

“Are cougars similar to bobcats in the types of habitats they can occupy?  Bobcats have survived in the Eastern U.S., so would areas where bobcats thrive also be good places for cougars?”

Brent: Both bobcats and cougars are very adaptable and can live in a variety of habitats — while their prey is different (for the much larger mountain lions, their preferred prey is typically deer and elk), both species can be happy in a wide range of habitats. Perhaps the biggest difference, though, is in the size of their territories. A male bobcat can be perfectly content with a territory of ten square miles, for instance, but that would be a postage stamp for a male mountain lion! Thus, it’s less about the type of habitat and more about the overall size of the habitat area, and how connected that habitat is to other nearby, large habitat areas. The presentation by Liz Hillard at the webinar did a great job of identifying the best potential habitats for mountain lions — and the connectivity between them — across the Eastern U.S.

“Is there a possibility that mountain lions can be re-introduced into New England? I think that people would be more willing to protect something that is rare and being re-introduced for the first time.”

Will: Yes! A recent study analyzed cougar habitat suitability in the eastern half of the country and identified 17 major blocks that would nicely accommodate mountain lions. Three of those blocks are the north woods of Maine, the Green Mountains of VT, and the White Mountains of NH. This study confirms what many of us concerned for lions have intuitively known for some time, there’s plenty of habitat and public support for lions in the East, and only the political will that’s lacking.

“Virginia is seeing an increase in Chronic Wasting Disease in deer.  Some studies show cougars can abate that by preying on deer that may show weakness early on.  Are there some more recent studies that may support this?”

Liz: While the scientific evidence directly linking mountain lions to reductions in Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is limited, research does show that the presence of mountain lions in an ecosystem can help maintain a healthy balance in the deer population, which may reduce the spread of CWD. Disease transmission among deer is often greater in areas with dense populations so having a predator like mountain lions keeping the deer population in check would in theory indirectly help prevent the spread of CWD.  

“How far East have mountain lions been sighted?”

Will: Southwest Connecticut is the most reliable, eastward record of a wild lion we have, in the body of Walker, who ventured from the Black Hills of South Dakota in 2009 and was struck and killed on a highway in 2011.

“How could the public/states/the US pay for corridors?”

Liz: There are a few programs in the US that aim to protect and maintain wildlife corridors. The Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act (2021) aims to establish a national system of wildlife corridors to provide safe passage for native species. Many states including California, Colorado, Montana, Florida, and New Mexico have implemented wildlife corridor protection plans to help preserve wildlife habitat connectivity.

If we’re talking about how to pay for road crossing structures to maintain wildlife habitat connectivity across roadways and reduce wildlife vehicle collisions, there are a few funding options at both the private, state, and federal level.

The public can donate directly to coalitions that use donations to help provide matching funds for crossing structures and fencing. A good example would be the Safe Passage Fund Coalition (https://smokiessafepassage.org) focused on raising money to provide match funds for wildlife crossing structures along Interstate 40 near Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

At the state level, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico have all passed dedicated funding bills to support the construction of wildlife crossings.

At the federal level, the recently established The Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program provides $350 million in funding for 5 years for the design, construction, and monitoring of wildlife crossing structures. In addition, the recently proposed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act include provisions for funding wildlife crossing projects.