Protecting mountain lions requires more than responding to individual threats. It requires a long-term commitment to science, coexistence, and the health of the ecosystems we all share.
At the Mountain Lion Foundation, our work is guided by four core principles:
We believe wildlife decisions should be grounded in evidence, not misinformation. Science helps communities understand mountain lions, reduce conflict, and make informed choices about conservation.
Healthy ecosystems depend on connected landscapes. We work to protect habitat, support wildlife movement, and maintain the ecological relationships that sustain biodiversity.
Lasting conservation requires more than good intentions. We advocate for policies informed by research, ecological understanding, and the long-term needs of wildlife and people alike.
The most effective conservation work happens before problems become emergencies. By investing in education, coexistence, habitat connectivity, and proactive solutions, we help create a future where mountain lions and people can thrive together.
These principles guide everything we do. Through science, advocacy, coexistence, and organizational strength, we turn knowledge into action and create lasting conservation outcomes for mountain lions and the landscapes they shape.
Our work is organized around four interconnected pillars:
Science is the foundation of effective mountain lion conservation. The Mountain Lion Foundation advances and shares the best available research on puma ecology—how lions live, move, and survive across landscapes shaped by human activity. By partnering with scientists, Indigenous knowledge holders, and agencies, we synthesize critical data on habitat connectivity, population health, and human–lion interactions, and make that knowledge accessible to decision-makers and the public. Credible science replaces fear and politics with facts—protecting both people and mountain lions.
We translate science into durable, ethical wildlife policy. The Mountain Lion Foundation advocates for coexistence-based management, challenges outdated and lethal practices, and builds coalitions to influence state and regional decision-making. Our policy work ensures that laws and management plans reflect ecological reality – not short-term pressure, misinformation, or fear. Because policy ultimately determines whether mountain lions are protected or killed, this work is essential to securing their future.
Mountain lions survive where people choose coexistence. We work with communities, ranchers, recreationists, educators, youth, and Indigenous partners to replace fear-based narratives with understanding and practical solutions. Through education, storytelling, and on-the-ground pilot projects, we help people live safely alongside wildlife. Lasting conservation only happens when people see mountain lions as part of their shared future – not a problem to eliminate.
Protecting mountain lions over the long term requires a strong, disciplined organization. We invest in expert staff, sustainable funding, transparent governance, and national reach to ensure our work is focused, credible, and built to last. As we expand beyond California, we remain grounded in impact—not growth for its own sake. Without organizational resilience, even the best science and ideas fail to translate into real-world protection.
Together, these outcomes reflect a deeper truth: when mountain lions thrive, ecosystems become healthier, more connected, and more resilient. Scientists call these interconnected relationships a trophic cascade. We call it The Lion Effect.
Your support helps advance science, strengthen coexistence, and protect the landscapes mountain lions help sustain.
