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Seneca Wilson
Ms. Emma, Ms. Liz
8A Science
2 May 2019
Mountain Lions and Their Shrinking Habitat
Mountain Lions
have one of the
biggest ranges of
animals in North
America.
Historically
ranging from the
west to east coast
with different
subspecies (NWF).
https://www.fs.fed.us/sites/default/files/legacy_files/media/2014/09/mountainlion.jpg

But, now some of these subspecies are going extinct. Mountain Lions are losing habitat and
numbers on account of human expansion; they used to roam all over the Americas but now their
territory has gotten significantly smaller, humans are also having frequent and sometimes
dangerous encounters with them because of their shrinking habitat, and they are important
because without them ungulate population will greatly increase.
Mountain lions have roamed America for centuries. They are carnivores who eat mostly
deer and small animals, but they do eat bugs on occasion.
They are medium sized mammals . There are many different
subspecies of the Mountain Lion ranging in slightly different
colors, and sizes. Some of these subspecies are going or have
gone extinct (NWF). This decline in population started when
farming of livestock began in North America. Like any

http://image.pennlive.com/home/penn-media/width600/img/wildaboutpa/photo/mountainn-lion-2jpg-efab28b629c64771.jpg
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intelligent animal, Mountain Lions realized that livestock was easy prey. They would kill
farmers livestock, and in tern farmers killed them (Dewey). Mountain lions are also being
affected by urban settlements. In a quote from the book “Annihilation of Nature” Mountain
Lions have, like the African Lion, “Suffered from habitat encroachment for urban settlement
(Cabellos​ ​p. 86).” Mountain Lions are being thrown from their home turf and are left to find food
in the small areas where there is wildlife now. Mountain Lions are not only losing habitat, but
also going extinct. The Eastern Cougar, a Subspecies of the Mountain Lion was declared extinct
quite recently. They had been killed because of how they bothered livestock, and they have now
gone completely extinct. Mountain Lions have been here for centuries, and we need them to
continue thriving.

Mountain Lions habitat has gotten significantly smaller because of

humans expansion (NFW). This impact on Mountain Lions is
forcing them into our areas of living. They are beginning to be seen
more and more frequently closer to humans. Mountain Lions are
traditionally very solitary animals and they tend to be quite afraid of
humans, but as their food sources grow in areas heavy with human
population they will move there too (Dewey). In a quote from a
summary ​http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U13VAfNjfZk/TbYqSoVGIBI/AAAAAAAABYs/60_jiCZluxM/s1600/Distribution%2B1.jpg
of the book titled the ​The Beast in the Garden ​by David Baron the summery states, “Since the
1980s, mountain lion attacks—though still relatively rare—have increased sharply… The most
obvious explanation is that, as humanity has continued to spread into the natural habitats of
predators, these predators find themselves closer to our homes than ever before (Baron).”
Mountain Lion’s shrinking habitat means that they are having more encounters with humans and
thus are getting killed more often. Weather it be because of poachers, or because they get hit by
vehicles. It is very important that we find a solution because these majestic creatures do benefit
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our society. The population of ungulates, especially in Durango, is greatly controlled by

Mountain Lions so without Mountain Lions the deer and elk population would get greatly out of
hand (Dewey).

The most important thing

that humans can do to stay
safe around Mountain Lions
is to learn about them.
Mountain Lions are normally
very wary of humans, and in
Durango the deer population
is big enough that it is rare
that they would be hungry
enough to go after a human.
Livestock is a different story.
If you have animals make
sure that they are closed into
cages by dusk because
Mountain Lions hunt
primarily at dusk (Dewey).
When hiking keep your pets
and children in your sight at
all times. If you meet one, do
not move quickly. Stay calm, and don’t run. Stay standing, don’t bend over because you will
look more like prey. Make yourself as big as possible. If a Mountain Lion continues to move
towards you throw things at it (NPS). It is important that we educate ourselves and our
communities so that we can keep both us, and these majestic creatures safe.
Mountain Lion habitat is shrinking and subspecies of the Mountain Lion are going extinct.
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Mountain Lions are important to our society because they keep the population of Ungulates in
check. With increased sightings of them it is important that you know what to do if you
encounter one. Mountain Lions have lived in the Americas for thousands of years, and we want
them to continue thriving in their natural habitat.
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Works Cited

“The Beast in the Garden Summary.” ​Super Summery,​ Super Summery,

http://www.supersummary.com/the-beast-in-the-garden/summary/
Cabellos, Gerardo. “Annihilation of Nature.” Johns Hopkins University Press 2015.
Dewey, Tanya. Shavarju, Anupama. “Puma Concolor Cougar.” ​Animal Diversity Web, ​Animal
Diversity Web 23 April, 2003, ​https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Puma_concolor/

Gibbens, Sarah. “Eastern Cougars Declared Extinct- But That Might Not Be a Bad Thing.”
National Geographic​, National Geographic, 25 January, 2015,
​https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/north-american-eastern-cougar-mountain-
lion-extinct-spd/

“Mountain Lion.” ​The National Wildlife Federation, ​The National Wildlife Federation,
23/04/2019,
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Mountain-Lion
“Your Safety In Mountain Lion Habitat.” ​National Parks Service,​ National Parks Service, 30
April
2019, ​https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/yoursafety_mountainlions.htm​.
Images

https://www.fs.fed.us/sites/default/files/legacy_files/media/2014/09/mountainlion.jpg
http://image.pennlive.com/home/penn-media/width600/img/wildaboutpa/photo/mountainn-lion-2
jpg-efab28b629c64771.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U13VAfNjfZk/TbYqSoVGIBI/AAAAAAAABYs/60_jiCZluxM/s160
0/Distribution%2B1.jpg