Mountain Lion Foundation

10/13/2026

Why is this bear stomping? 🐻

Our trail camera captured this bear doing something you might not notice at first.

Watch as MLF’s Joshua Lisbon explains what’s really happening, and why those heavy steps may be leaving a message for other bears.

Sometimes a trail camera captures more than an animal, it captures a behavior we rarely get to see.

10/07/2026

Our first trail camera footage is here! 👀

Joshua Lisbon is checking the cameras we placed along a wildlife corridor in Montana and, for the first time, we get to see who’s been moving through when we’re not around.

No mountain lion this time, but that’s part of what makes a camera check so much fun. Every image gives us another glimpse into the interconnected world mountain lions share with other wildlife.

And we’re just getting started.

10/05/2026

🐾 Come see us in San Francisco!

The Mountain Lion Foundation is heading to the 2026 Fall Wildlife Conservation Expo this Saturday, October 10, and we’d love to see you there.

Hosted by the Wildlife Conservation Network, the Expo brings together conservation organizations and wildlife supporters for a day devoted to protecting wildlife around the world.

Stop by the Mountain Lion Foundation table to meet members of our team, talk mountain lions, learn more about our work, and find out how you can help create a future where pumas, people, and places can thrive together.

📍 Mission Bay Conference Center, San Francisco
📅 Saturday, October 10
⏰ 10 a.m.–5 p.m. PDT

We hope to see you there!

🎟️ Tickets and event information: wcnexpo.org /

10/01/2026

GOOD NEWS FOR MOUNTAIN LIONS! 🐾

California’s Wildlife Coexistence Act, SB 1135, has been signed into law.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill on September 29, marking an important step toward making coexistence a stronger part of how California manages wildlife.

Authored by Senator Catherine Blakespear, the new law provides for a statewide Wildlife Coexistence Program, subject to legislative funding, focused on preventing and reducing conflicts between people and wildlife through proactive, science-based approaches.

For mountain lions, that matters.

Helping communities better understand mountain lion behavior, protect domestic animals and livestock, and use effective nonlethal deterrents can prevent conflicts before they happen — and help prevent unnecessary deaths.

The law also comes at an important moment for California’s mountain lions, as populations contend with habitat loss, fragmented landscapes and expanding development.

Signing SB 1135 is a milestone. Now, funding and implementation will determine its impact.

At the Mountain Lion Foundation, we believe protecting people, domestic animals, livestock, and mountain lions can go hand in hand.

Coexistence is possible, and now California has taken an important step toward making it a statewide priority.

09/10/2026

Two recent mountain lion encounters in the Bay Area drew significant attention.

At Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve near San Jose, a hiker who encountered a mountain lion on the trail was ultimately airlifted out by helicopter. Days later, a mountain lion spotted in San Francisco’s Panhandle prompted an emergency alert and a significant response from police, rangers and wildlife officials.

In both cases, officials reported no aggressive behavior by the mountain lions.

These encounters are an important reminder that seeing a mountain lion — even at close range — is not necessarily the same as being threatened by one.

Mountain lions are powerful wild animals, and any close encounter should be taken seriously. But understanding their behavior, keeping the actual risk in perspective and knowing how to respond can help replace fear with awareness and preparedness.

Swipe through for what to look for and what to do if you encounter a mountain lion.

And for more information on staying safe in mountain lion country, download our free safety guide - https://mountainlion.org/free-resources/.

09/01/2026

**California just took a major step toward wildlife coexistence.**

The California Legislature has passed **SB 1135, the California Wildlife Coexistence Act** This is legislation that would help communities prevent conflicts with mountain lions and other wildlife through science-based, proactive and nonlethal approaches.

This matters because coexistence works best **before conflict happens**. Giving communities better information, resources and practical tools can help keep people, livestock and wildlife safe.

Now there’s one more step: **Governor Gavin Newsom needs to sign SB 1135.**

If you live in California, ask Governor Newsom to sign the California Wildlife Coexistence Act.

🔗 **Learn more and take action - https://mountainlion.org/2026/09/01/california-takes-a-major-step-toward-wildlife-coexistence/**

08/27/2026

08/20/2026

The Hidden Value of Mountain Lions

We often think about mountain lions in terms of the prey they catch. But some of their most important effects may come from the animals they don't catch.

New research from Washington's Olympic Peninsula found that where mountain lions are common, deer behave differently. They spend less time near roads and developed areas and become more active during daylight hours—when drivers are more likely to see them.

Those changes could have a remarkable consequence: areas with high mountain lion activity were expected to experience about 76% fewer deer-vehicle collisions over five years than comparable areas where mountain lions were scarce.

The lions aren't simply eliminating deer. Their presence is changing how deer move through the landscape—and potentially making roads safer for wildlife and people.

For Dr. Byron Weckworth, MLF's Chief Conservation & Advocacy Officer, that's what makes this research particularly fascinating:

"The value of mountain lions isn't measured simply by the animals themselves, but by the ecological relationships they help sustain."

It's another window into The Lion Effect—the many ways mountain lions shape the landscapes they inhabit. Some of those influences are obvious. Others ripple quietly through ecosystems until someone asks the right question and gathers the data to answer it.

This research was led by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, Makah Tribe, Skokomish Tribe, Point No Point Treaty Council, and their partners at Conservation Science Partners and Panthera. MLF had no role in the research, and we're grateful for the opportunity to share the work and the knowledge it provides.

Every new discovery helps us see a little more of The Lion Effect.

📖 Read the study in Current Biology: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(26)00818-3

08/13/2026

Sometimes the most extraordinary wildlife encounters happen when we simply stop, stay quiet, and watch.

While wandering the foothills of Colorado's Grand Mesa, Nick Sampalis stepped around a juniper and spotted a mountain lion kitten. Then he realized it wasn't alone.

Two more kittens were tucked beneath the cover of a nearby thicket.

Nick settled down about 25 yards away and downwind. At first, the kittens were wary. Eventually, they seemed to assume he was gone. For the next two and a half hours, Nick quietly watched as the three kittens napped and played.

"It was a peaceful time though I knew that could change at any time if the mother returned. After the time passed, I slipped back into the junipers and headed home."

An unforgettable encounter—and a beautiful example of what it can mean to respectfully share space with wildlife.

**Have a mountain lion story of your own? We'd love to hear it. Share your experience with us.**

📷 🎥 Nick Sampalis
Grand Mesa, Colorado

08/09/2026

The wild is constantly revealing something new.

In The Wild Revealed, we're highlighting two stories that deepen our understanding of how mountain lions share the landscape with people.

🦁 From The Mercury News
Research from the Santa Cruz Puma Project and UC Santa Cruz found that mountain lions actively adjust their movements to avoid people, even in landscapes where our lives overlap.

🚗 From Scientific American
A new story explores research from Washington's Olympic Peninsula suggesting that mountain lions may help reduce deer-vehicle collisions by changing where and when deer move.

We're grateful to the researchers, Tribal nations, conservation organizations, and journalists whose work continues to expand our understanding of mountain lions and the landscapes they shape. The Wild Revealed is our place to share that work with our community and explore why it matters.

Every discovery reveals a little more of the wild.
Read the stories:

📰 Mountain lions are avoiding you, UC Santa Cruz study finds (The Mercury News)
https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/08/03/santa-cruz-mountain-lions-are-avoiding-you-ucsc-study-finds/

📰 How Living Near Mountain Lions Might Actually Make You Safer (Scientific American)
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-living-near-mountain-lions-might-actually-make-you-safer/