All pictures by Hunter Rook, Samantha Miller, and the Mountain Lion Foundation

In late September, the Mountain Lion Foundation conducted a coexistence project at a working alpaca ranch in the mountains of Colorado, along with two educational presentations to the public. 

The alpaca ranch, located near Granby, Colorado, had suffered from two confirmed mountain lion depredations, and the ranchers were looking for assistance in keeping their livestock as safe as possible. We had conducted an initial site visit over the summer, and this was followed by a conversation with the ranchers and an in-depth site assessment when we arrived in September. The assessment and our on-site work were led by Gowan Batist, an active sheep rancher and the Mountain Lion Foundation’s Coexistence Programs Manager.  

We identified several areas to address, and a key task was repairing fences that had been damaged by fires. The fence repairs were important for the alpacas, but they were perhaps even more important for the ranchers’ three livestock guardian dogs — with more secure fencing, the dogs could be kept in the livestock pens with the alpacas and help keep them safe. Working alongside staff and volunteers from the Cats Aren’t Trophies campaign, we also fixed and upgraded additional fence sections that were in need of repair.  

Successful coexistence is about the physical structures and layout of a ranch, and it’s also about behaviors such as animal-husbandry practices. Accordingly, based on conversations with the ranchers and the site assessment, we made a number of recommendations to the ranchers to adjust their husbandry practices. These included bringing their livestock into a lion-proof structure at night and changing their training and care protocols for their livestock guardian dogs. We also recommended utilizing deterrent devices that scare lions off with sudden lights and loud noises. Finally, we reached out to nearby community members who could potentially support the ranchers in implementing these changes.  

The following day, Gowan offered a public presentation in nearby Winter Park, Colorado, focused specifically on these and other coexistence practices that livestock owners in that community can implement to keep both their livestock and the local lions as safe as possible.  

A few days later, the Mountain Lion Foundation’s Executive Director, Brent Lyles, delivered another presentation about mountain lions in Denver. With the lovely setting of Gallery 6 in downtown Denver as a backdrop, and with a guest appearance by the First Gentleman of Colorado, Marlon Reis, Brent discussed mountain lion biology and behavior, the history of lions in Colorado, and the expected impacts of climate change on mountain lion populations.  

At his presentation, Brent also discussed the trophy hunting of mountain lions, which was top-of-mind for many of the guests because an initiative to end lion trophy hunting is on the ballot in Colorado. (For more information about Prop 127 and the Cats Aren’t Trophies campaign, click here.)  

In the coming months and years, Coloradans will adjust to their likely new reality — a reality without the needless and ruthless trophy hunting of their mountain lion neighbors. The Mountain Lion Foundation looks forward to serving as a key resource for Coloradans, offering tools and information about peaceful coexistence with these critically important animals.