Mountain lions have shaped, and been shaped, by the landscapes of the Americas for thousands of years. Today, as communities continue to grow and expand into mountain lion habitat, coexistence has become both a challenge and an opportunity.
Understanding mountain lions, reducing conflict, and making informed choices can help people, wildlife, and communities thrive together on shared landscapes.
People and mountain lions are increasingly living, working, and recreating in the same landscapes. As communities expand and habitat becomes more fragmented, opportunities for interaction naturally increase.
Coexistence is not about choosing between people and wildlife. It is about finding practical ways for both to thrive. Through understanding, awareness, and proactive solutions, many conflicts can be reduced before they occur, benefiting people, pets, livestock, wildlife, and the landscapes we all share.
The future of mountain lion conservation will not be determined solely in remote wilderness. It will also be shaped in communities, on working lands, along recreation corridors, and in the everyday decisions people make about how they live alongside wildlife.
Knowledge reduces fear.
Many concerns about mountain lions stem from misunderstanding. Learning how mountain lions behave helps people make informed decisions and respond appropriately when encounters occur.
Small actions can have a big impact.
Many conflicts can be avoided through awareness, preparation, and practical coexistence measures that reduce attractants and encourage safer interactions.
The future is shared.
Mountain lions are part of larger ecosystems and connected landscapes. Supporting coexistence helps protect the ecological relationships that benefit wildlife and people alike.
Mountain lions move through the same places where people live, work, and recreate. Successful coexistence begins with recognizing that these landscapes are shared and that small actions can help reduce conflict while supporting both people and wildlife.
Awareness helps prevent conflict.
Mountain lions may move through developed areas while traveling, following prey, or dispersing to new territory. Understanding their presence and reducing attractants can help minimize unwanted encounters.
People, livestock, and wildlife can coexist.
Ranches, farms, and other working landscapes often provide important habitat and movement corridors for wildlife. Practical, non-lethal tools can help reduce conflicts while supporting both livelihoods and conservation.
Sharing wild places responsibly.
Millions of people hike, bike, run, hunt, camp, and recreate in mountain lion country every year. Awareness and preparation help ensure safe and positive experiences for both people and wildlife.
Many conflicts between people and mountain lions can be prevented before they occur. Protecting pets and livestock, reducing attractants, securing vulnerable animals, and understanding mountain lion behavior are all important parts of successful coexistence.
Whether you live in mountain lion country, manage livestock, or enjoy time outdoors, practical prevention helps create safer outcomes for both people and wildlife.
Protecting Pets & Livestock →
Creating a future where people and mountain lions can thrive together requires more than awareness alone. It takes education, practical solutions, strong communities, and a shared commitment to protecting the landscapes that sustain both wildlife and people.
Successful coexistence is built through collaboration—bringing together landowners, communities, conservation organizations, researchers, wildlife professionals, and everyday citizens to address challenges before they become conflicts.
Knowledge creates better outcomes.
Helping people understand mountain lion behavior, ecology, and coexistence strategies reduces fear and supports informed decision-making.
Conservation happens locally.
Lasting solutions are built through collaboration with communities, landowners, outdoor recreation groups, educators, and conservation partners.
Prevention is often the most effective tool.
From securing livestock and reducing attractants to improving habitat connectivity, practical actions can help reduce conflict while supporting wildlife.
The future belongs to all of us.
The choices people make today will help determine whether future generations inherit landscapes where mountain lions and people continue to coexist.
Coexistence is not a destination. It is an ongoing commitment to understanding, adaptation, and stewardship as people and wildlife continue to share the same landscapes.
Mountain lions are part of the lives and landscapes of people across North America. Whether you’ve encountered a mountain lion on a trail, captured tracks in the snow, recorded trail camera footage, photographed a crossing, or simply witnessed the ways wildlife and people share the same landscape, your story matters.
Stories help replace fear with understanding, connect communities to conservation, and remind us that coexistence is not just an idea—it’s something people experience every day.
We welcome written stories, photos, videos, and observations that celebrate curiosity, stewardship, and the connections between people, wildlife, and the landscapes we share.
Mountain lions have shaped North American landscapes for thousands of years. Their presence continues to influence ecosystems, biodiversity, and the health of the places we all depend upon.
The future of those landscapes will be shaped by the choices we make—how we design communities, protect habitat, reduce conflict, and foster understanding between people and wildlife.
Coexistence is ultimately about more than sharing space. It is about recognizing that people and mountain lions are part of the same story, connected by the landscapes we call home.
Learning doesn’t stop with the basics. Explore current conservation news, inspiring stories from the field, educational resources, and opportunities to deepen your understanding of mountain lions and the landscapes they shape.
Explore the latest developments in mountain lion conservation, including science discoveries, policy updates, coexistence efforts, wildlife stories, and perspectives from across mountain lion country.
Stay connected through the Mountain Lion Foundation’s newsletter, featuring conservation updates, educational content, wildlife stories, and opportunities to support mountain lions and the landscapes they shape.
Learn from researchers, conservation leaders, wildlife professionals, and community experts through recordings of past webinars covering mountain lion ecology, coexistence, policy, and conservation.
Find answers to common questions about mountain lion behavior, habitat, safety, conservation, and coexistence, all grounded in science and informed by experience.
