June 12 is National Cougar Day and that’s a major cause for celebration. But, how exactly to celebrate?

Try one of these ideas. The five “entry level” ideas are suggestions that most folks could tackle with a few minutes of attention and the five “next level” suggestions will take a bit more time and investment, or are more relevant in particular geographies.

How many ways will you mark National Cougar Day? However you decide to mark this special day, we’d love to hear about it! Email your National Cougar Day tale to info@mountainlion.org.

Entry Level Celebrations

Learn a new cougar fact

Cougars are incredible, no doubt about it. Amaze yourself and your friends and family. On our About Mountain Lions page, you’ll find a wide array of information about their biology, behaviors and ecological role.

Color a cougar

We have a variety of downloadable coloring pages that you can print and color. Great for kids, or anyone who would enjoy a little mental health break.

Become a Puma Protector

When you donate to the Mountain Lion Foundation, you’ll ensure this organization can represent your interests wherever important decisions about this species are made. This National Cougar Day marks the much-anticipated debut of our new monthly giving program. Many loyal fans are already contributing monthly. Now, with Puma Protectors, we are inviting more people to play a vital role in protecting mountain lions and educating people about coexistence with these remarkable animals. Become a Puma Protector today.

Sign up for a Living with Lions webinar

Each month, we invite a different journalist, biologist, explorer or another knowledgeable person to have a conversation with Mountain Lion Foundation staff about various facets of coexisting with mountain lions.

Register for an upcoming talk to attend live event and engage with the presenters, or subscribe to our YouTube Channel to be alerted when these conversations are posted.

Watch an episode of California Mountain Lions

As top predators, mountain lions contribute greatly to a stable ecosystem in California. Most native Californians have never seen a mountain lion because they are so elusive, and yet they are a revered member of the wild community. This series of eight episodes, running 7 to 8 minutes each, illustrates how mountain lions – specifically the populations in wild lands around Southern California – struggle for survival, and how anyone interested can help to conserve them.

Next Level Celebrations

Wear your lion love

If there is Mountain Lion Foundation shirt in your closet, National Cougar Day is the perfect day to wear your shirt out on the town. Each year, we produce a special t-shirt featuring a unique mountain lion design, and the sales of this shirt help us raise awareness about the need to coexist with mountain lions. We’d love to see you in your shirt, so please send a picture of yourself to info@mountainlion.org or post a selfie on social media and tag us and use the hashtag #NationalCougarDay.

Send a Letter to the Editor

Tweeting is a great way to influence legislators quickly, but don’t forget the old-fashioned letter to the editor. This simple tactic can be quite powerful, as legislators and other decision-makers still read letters to the editor to take the pulse of their constituents.

In this recent post, we offer seven steps to follow and a helpful list of papers where you could submit your letter.

Make your property unappealing to predators

If you live in a Western state, in an area near wild public lands, you could put these coexistence tips into practice to make your residence safer for wildlife and yourself.

Spend the day in mountain lion habitat

Head out on the Mountain Lion Loop Trail in the beautiful Golden Gate Canyon State Park, an hour outside Denver, Colorado, or explore the Puma Hills in Central Colorado.  Pitch your tent at Cougar Rock Campground in Mount Rainier National Park. As those names suggest, these places are all in cougar country, but they are certainly not the only places where cougars thrive. Mountain lions inhabit a wide variety of terrain and can be found in much of the western United States, as well as in small pockets in Florida. Whenever you venture into mountain lion habitat, follow these coexistence tips to keep yourself and the lions safe.

Name the Mountain Lion Foundation in your estate plans

This is the most enduring way to celebrate that we can think of. You can find useful estate planning information on our website, or send a note to emathews@mountainlion.org and we’ll be happy to assist you.