Following part one, which gave an overview of potential habitat, social tolerance and climate factors in the western states, we take a closer look at specific states mentioned within the presentation. According to Brent Lyles, "places with plenty of uninterrupted terrain and abundant prey got high marks while places with low mating prospects and irrational regulations for cougar management got low marks". Cougars are highly adaptable animals. As long as they have connectivity of travel routes and available prey, they can live in a variety of environments ranging from the deserts of Arizona to the swamps of Florida, to the snowy conifer forests of British Columbia. You can watch the video here.
The Worst States - Utah, Texas and Idaho
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| Cougar in Zion National Park, Utah |
In terms of habitat, Utah (mentioned at 5:54) should be an ideal place for cougars to live - plenty of mountainous habitat, booming elk numbers, and a nonprofit organization - Utah Mountain Lion Conservation. Yet a recent law that went into effect solidifies this state as having some of the worst regulations for this species. As of May 2023, Utah currently allows unlimited year-round cougar hunting and trapping - a move strongly opposed by wildlife conservation groups and cougar hunters alike. While cougars are still classified as a big game species, there are almost no restrictions on hunting them outside the boundaries of Utah's national parks. Despite this drastic change, Utah's prior cougar hunting regulations were already excessive, with a record high 702 kills reported during the 2020-21 season. In response to an ongoing drought that caused a decline in mule deer populations, the state then ramped up the pressure by authorizing unlimited year-round cougar hunting in 33 of 54 hunting units for the 2021-22 season, rather than putting a temporary moratorium on mule deer hunting.
Because Texas (mentioned at 6:29) offers zero protection or monitoring whatsoever, breeding populations are effectively limited to the Trans-Pecos region in the southwest area of the state. This area of Texas includes the Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks, which together cover a protected area of 3,592 sq km and are surrounded by privately owned ranches. These ranches are known to be hostile to predators - a study of 16 radio-collared cougars in Big Bend National Park resulted in all of them being shot or trapped on surrounding ranchland outside the park. Cougars are considered a 'non-game' species with no regulations or legal protection - even for spotted kittens - and can be trapped and shot within the state year-round with no limits. The survival of this species in the state remains precarious. In 2021, a movement called Texans for Mountain Lions was started, advocating for laws and regulations to be implemented. This advocacy coalition faces an uphill battle, as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department denied a 2022 petition to conduct research and set regulations for the management of cougars.
Idaho (mentioned briefly at 15:59) is another state that is particularly deadly for cougars. This state is infamous for its brutal management of gray wolves, but cougars don't fare much better. Since 2021, there have been no hunting limits, and prior to that quotas were only set for female cougars, with no limits on the number of males that could be killed. In addition to an excessive 10-month long, unlimited cougar hunting season, the state is particularly unforgiving for cougars that venture into proximity to people, even in the absence of conflict. In the name of "public safety", Idaho Fish and Game policy results in the trapping and killing of even young cubs found seeking shelter under decks and human residences, because they consider cougars found in these places to be habituated and a safety threat. It's important to note that these laws are created by people and driven by cultural goals and social tolerance (and often fear and misinformation). It should also be mentioned that the states on the eastern edge of the cougar's range, the Dakotas and Nebraska (16:06), allow hunting seasons with the goal of suppressing the numbers of the big cats - despite having limited habitat and very small cougar populations. Heavily hunted populations are less stable and skew much younger, with few cougars living long enough to establish territories. South Dakota's 2023 hunt has included the "harvest" of multiple kittens younger than 6 months of age, with one being only 3 months old.
The Best States - California, Washington and Oregon
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| Female cougar with the Los Angeles skyline in the background |
California (mentioned at 13:23) not only scores high in potential habitat, but has, by far, the most progressive and science-based policies regarding cougars. The big cats are found throughout the forest, chaparral, and mountainous regions of the state. People in major urban areas have even found a way to live alongside these animals, the most famous example being P-22, who lived in Los Angeles' Griffith Park largely without incident. Following the end of his 12-to-13-year lifespan, he was honored in a ceremonial tribal burial by local Native Americans, who consider cougars sacred. Cougars are protected from hunting in California and have been since 1972, following a moratorium signed by governor Ronald Reagan - and later re-classified from a game species to a specially protected animal in 1990. In addition, the state has other strong protections in place, and many cougar coexistence and conservation organizations. California is a great place for cougars to live, with plenty of dedicated people working alongside ranchers and landowners, and prioritizing a responsive, non-lethal approach to conflicts.
Connectivity is the main conservation challenge for these animals in California. Cougars are found throughout the state, except the agricultural Central Valley region (the flat, watershed terrain is unsuitable habitat for cougars - though perfect for growing crops) and some areas of the arid southeastern deserts. The survival of some localized populations, particularly in the Los Angeles area, is threatened due to high rates of vehicle strikes and genetic isolation, so improving habitat connectivity through wildlife crossings is a conservation priority. A major freeway (Highway 101) separates the struggling Santa Monica cougar population from the larger cougar population to the north, while Los Angeles urban area lies to the west. That's why the building of a major wildlife corridor at Liberty Canyon is underway. Once completed, these cougars will no longer be isolated and can disperse to and from the north without being struck by vehicles. On the other side of the freeway, the nearby Santa Susana Mountains, Angeles National Forest, and Los Padres National Forest have large areas of good cougar habitat.
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| Maps showing Highway 101 and cougar habitat in the Los Angeles area |
All western states allow some level of cougar hunting, with the exception of California. Despite the presence of a cougar-killing sheriff in Klickitat County, Washington (11:00) has some positives going for it. With forest cover on over half its land, this state has plenty of suitable habitat for cougars. Cougars are distributed throughout Washington, except for most of the southeastern Columbia Plateau region. While Washington currently allows more cougar hunting than conservationists recommend - and quotas vary from place to place within the state - it does have tighter restrictions, such as on the use of hounds. There is a recent trend towards more science-based, inclusive wildlife management in the state. The Olympic Peninsula is the site of Panthera's ongoing cougar research and conservation project, which is a collaboration between cougar scientists such as Mark Elbroch, and Native Americans in the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Because cougars on the Olympic Peninsula are isolated from mainland populations, genetic diversity is lower, so a major objective of the Olympic Cougar Project is identifying blocked areas and improving habitat connectivity. The placement of wildlife crossings in strategic areas benefits not only cougars, but all species of wildlife by providing a safe bridge, overpass or underpass to cross long stretches of water or a major highway.
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| A cougar in central Oregon. Photo by Jon Nelson |
The other state to restrict hounding is Oregon (briefly mentioned at 16:37) which was also deemed "not too bad". While hunting quotas are high and the state is likely overestimating its cougar population, Oregon has a higher percentage (82%) of suitable cougar habitat than any other state, as well as high numbers of elk. There is room for improvement. Oregon's cougar management plan has been criticized for downplaying the cougar's critical ecological role and overemphasizing the big cats' economic impact on livestock damage and hunting opportunity. However, one particular bright spot is Benton County, which has a progressive and non-lethal model for wildlife coexistence. The Benton County Agriculture and Wildlife Protection Program provides funding and resources that proactively help prevent and mitigate conflicts with predators like cougars, including secure sheep pens and livestock guardian dogs. A member of the Panthera Puma Program is one of the advisors. The program began in June 2017, and its success can provide a blueprint for wildlife coexistence in other areas.
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| Washington cougar |
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