Image of California mountain lion by Collin Eckert

During this past year, the Mountain Lion Foundation has enjoyed success — and faced continuing challenges. Here at the Mountain Lion Foundation, we deeply appreciate the support of our dedicated members as we work to ensure that our cougars not only survive but thrive in the wild.

 Utah: In Utah, we are pursuing our lawsuit to get Utah’s HB469, one of the most dangerous laws for mountain lions in recent memory, overturned. We expect it to move forward to oral arguments in early 2025. In the meantime, we’re continuing to work with our partners like Utah Mountain Lion Conservation to educate Utahns about the importance of mountain lions and the risks of overhunting them.

Colorado: By now, you know that Colorado’s Prop 127, a ballot initiative to protect Colorado’s mountain lions from trophy hunting, was not successful. The good news is that the coalition behind that campaign, Cats Aren’t Trophies, is alive and well, and we’ll be working closely with these partners to promote coexistence and advance protections for Colorado’s native lions in the year ahead.

South Dakota: In a surprise move on October 3, the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission chose NOT to increase mountain lion hunting in the vulnerable Black Hills area. That was thanks to the many lion-friendly public comments they received, as well as input from the Mountain Lion Foundation and our partners in that state.

Washington: One of our biggest successes in the past year was in Washington state, where the state’s wildlife commission adopted important and dramatic new rules in July to prevent the aggressive overhunting of cougars. The rule change was the final result of years of steadfast advocacy and a petition filed in December 2023 by the Mountain Lion Foundation, Washington Wildlife First, and other partners from national and statewide groups.

California: Community concerns remain high in areas of California with high lion activity, and in these areas, the Mountain Lion Foundation is continuing to engage proactively in these communities, meeting with local wildlife officials and residents about safely coexisting with mountain lions.

Also in California, two important new laws that protect mountain lions were recently signed into law by Governor Newsom. The first is an expanded ban on anticoagulant rodenticides (which have outsized, harmful impacts on lions); the second is the “Room to Roam Act,” requiring local governments to incorporate wildlife connectivity in their planning. The Mountain Lion Foundation and our members, along with our many coalition partners, fought for these changes. And won!

The Mountain Lion Foundation succeeds because people like you cherish our beautiful big cats and recognize the importance of standing up to preserve our natural world and protect the creatures that call it home. Whatever we call her — puma, cougar, catamount, panther, or spirit of the mountains — she’s a magnificent and inspiring cat, and we must protect her.

Join us with a year–end donation, and together we’ll keep our mountains purring. Donate now.