Where mountain lions thrive, landscapes are healthier, ecosystems are stronger, and the wild remains connected.
But across mountain lion country, habitat is being carved apart, safe passage is disappearing, and decisions driven by fear or political pressure are putting vulnerable populations at risk. What we do now will determine whether America’s lion remains wild, connected, and thriving for generations to come.
Stay connected with America's lion
Follow the Lion Effect across America's wild landscapes.
Scientists call it a trophic cascade. We call it The Lion Effect.
But the Lion Effect is not guaranteed. When mountain lions are removed from landscapes, isolated by development, or managed without regard for sound science, the ecological relationships they help sustain are weakened. Protecting the Lion Effect begins with protecting the lion.
Mountain lions influence far more than the animals they hunt. Their presence helps shape habitats, support biodiversity, and strengthen the natural systems that wildlife and people depend on.
Mountain lions are adaptable, but they need connected habitat, sound wildlife policy, and communities prepared to coexist with them.
Across their range, development, highways, hunting, trapping, and preventable conflict put populations at risk. These threats vary by place, but they are all shaped by human choices – and can be changed.
We ensure that America’s Lion survives and flourishes in the wild. We protect mountain lions by advancing science, defending strong wildlife policies, helping communities coexist, and building a national movement for America’s lion.
Advancing research and understanding.
Promoting science-based wildlife policy.
Helping communities and wildlife thrive together.
Growing the partnerships, resources, and public support needed to protect mountain lions for the long term.
Mountain lion conservation is about more than a single species. It requires science to guide decisions, policies that support coexistence, communities that understand and value wildlife, and organizations strong enough to sustain long-term change.
That’s why our work spans research, advocacy, education, and partnership-building, because lasting conservation depends on all of them working together.
Speak up for science-based wildlife policy and help protect mountain lions and the landscapes they call home – now and in the future.
Your gift helps defend mountain lions through science, advocacy, education, and practical coexistence work. Donate today to help keep America’s lion wild and free.
The latest conservation news, wildlife stories, and updates from across mountain lion country.
On September 18, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission approved killing up to 18 mountain lions over three years in the Trout Creek Mountains as part of an effort to support a bighorn sheep relocation. The Mountain Lion Foundation is disappointed in the decision and opposes the planned preemptive killing.
Explore videos that reveal how mountain lions shape ecosystems, inspire conservation, and connect us to the wild places we share.
Follow the Mountain Lion Foundation on YouTube as we build a growing library of stories, science, and conservation in action.
