The Cougar Fund

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The Cougar Fund "Protecting America's Greatest Cat"
We welcome respectful discussion. The Cougar Fund's mission is education, advocacy, and support for science-based research.

We do not engage in hostile or repetitive debates in comment threads.

10/14/2026

A pair of mallards, a mouse (naturally followed by a hawk), a doe, black bears, and an array of insects all spent time by this pond, reminding us that water truly is life.

As you can see, wetlands like this one are critical stopping points for species big and buzzing alike. These prolific areas support dense plant communities, help filter and clean water, and form the base of a rich food web, as they provide species with habitat, drinking water, and even a place to cool off in the warm months. Without them, we’d likely see far fewer Wild Lives out there.

With all the recent rain, we’ve been reflecting on how water supports all of us in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (and everywhere!), so we wanted to show it some appreciation this Wild Lives Wednesday....

If you want to see more Wild Lives and scenic moments, follow the link in our bio to our YouTube channel () where the full-length video will soon be featured along with many more shorts and in-depth videos!

10/08/2026

Scenes from the forests of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem!

Protected spaces away from traffic and industry give wildlife room to find food, raise families, and provide the ecosystem services we all rely on. The forests themselves support life by providing habitat, cleaning our air and water, and protecting and enriching the soil. That life can be seen in the footage we collect: endangered, threatened, and plentiful species, all relying on each other and on the forests they call home.

Please enjoy some of our favorite clips featuring these very wild lives, shared as a thank you to everyone who has spoken out for our forests and continues to show up for them however they can.

Happy Wild Lives Wednesday!

09/30/2026

Have you ever heard the saying predators follow prey? Thats good information to know when it comes to thinking about what attractants we keep in our yard, and it’s even one way we find good spots for camera traps. It’s also why we see mountain lions on the move this time of year.

They can't stick around in areas without deer or elk nearby, so as herds head toward lower ground, lions may be right behind them. That may mean increased sightings near town, but their presence also means good things for deer and elk during this critical season. Top-down predation keeps herd sizes sustainable, and by targeting sick or weak animals, lions help ensure the healthiest and strongest have less competition for resources going into the winter. Mountain lions depend on healthy herds to survive, and they are apart of an ancient ecosystem designed to maintain that balance.

The fox, skunk, grey jay, squirrel, grouse, and wolves also featured in this video provide ecological services that help maintain the balance too. Let this month or so of captures remind us just how much the landscape, and the fellow Wild Lives on it, supports.

Happy Wild Lives Wednesday!

09/23/2026

Happy Wild Lives Wednesday and happy fall.

We hope you're out enjoying all the 'new' colors, wildlife behaviors, and temperatures this season brings. While they may bring us fresh inspiration and joy, these seasonal changes are actually anything but new. As these clips from early fall in years past remind us, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has been running in this cycle for millennia. For deer and elk, that means the same migration routes, followed season after season as they move toward lower ground and stock up on precious nutrition before winter. Black bears are doing their own version of this, packing on fat before they den. Martens and squirrels just as busy caching food and growing thicker coats all to get through the cold months ahead.

Wildlife rely the paths they know, shaped by generations before them. It's up to us to protect the routes and spaces they depend on each season. Thank you for taking the time to appreciate these Wild Lives with us every Wednesday, and in your everyday life too.

09/18/2026

This is it, friends! These are the last few hours of our Annual Old Bill's Fun Run appeal.

We hope you have enjoyed a peek into our work. This has been just a small sample of what The Cougar Fund has been able to do to help people respect and protect mountian lions and other large carnivores this year.

It is always an uphill battle, but we promise to never give up. With your help our education, advocacy and promotion of sound science will get bigger and better with every gift you give.

Thank you for reading and watching our campaign over the last few days we are energized and determined. Won't you join us?

09/16/2026

This Wild Lives Wednesday we are so proud to share this incredible peek at a mother's love for her kitten. We could not be more grateful to Jeff Hogan for letting us use his film. The interaction of the patient, vigilant mother and her rambunctious kitten tells a powerful tale of maternal love and commitment.

If we could only ‘fall in love’ with the lion and protect her the way she protects her kittens. When we see the instincts that cougars have, to care, to feed, and defend their young, we can never understand how anyone would want to destroy them for sport and trophies.

Thank you, Jeff, for supporting us by sharing your talent and compassion for the wild.

09/15/2026

The Cougar Fund has been an advocate for grizzlies for more than a decade. They, and we, are still fighting the forces of fear and tradition. Their sentience and individuality is evident as their lives unfold across the ecosystem. We are on their side-please join us there.

Happy Days with The Cougar Fund! Here is just a small sample of the 56 events we have done since the end of April 2026. ...
09/14/2026

Happy Days with The Cougar Fund!

Here is just a small sample of the 56 events we have done since the end of April 2026. Materials are expensive and our dedicated outreach staff position is a huge asset we cannot afford to lose.

A donation through Old Bill’s will help us provide even more introductory education about carnivores and their place on the landscape. Your gift will allow us to reach many more children and adults. Help us set our sights high for 2027. We would love to outdo the 2500 participants we engaged with one-on-one in Teton County this year.

Please donate to The Cougar Fund through Old Bill's here: https://bit.ly/4ymPfLI until September the 18th.

09/11/2026

Advocacy is hard. Life for wolves is harder.

Our mission is to help all carnivores be accepted for what they are worth ALIVE as stewards of the ecosystem.

We recently hosted a free, fun, family-friendly event in Teton village centered on Bear Safety.We concentrated on bears ...
09/11/2026

We recently hosted a free, fun, family-friendly event in Teton village centered on Bear Safety.

We concentrated on bears for a very special reason...bears in the GYE are in full hyperphagia. It is a stage of constant hunger and eating - bringing them closer to homes, hotels, restaurants, dumpsters, cars, and any other place that could be a food source. This is a crucial time for bears trying to fatten up for winter torpor and their safety depends on our decisions.

We believe in the power of awe, wonder and investigative learning, so with a trifecta of events we demonstrated how we can stay safe in bear country and keep bears wild!

Learning about time, speed and distance-with our legs-emphasizes why we don’t run from bears; identifying attractants in a messy campsite and yard and brainstorming how to fix them is proactive; hands-on access to carnivore interpretation materials meant that families left with smiles, knowledge, and even a bear mask for the little ones with ID tips on the back.

We were thrilled to work with Bear Wise JH who joined in with a ‘charging bear’. Teton County residents and visitors often carry bear spray, but knowing how it feels if you have to use it can be daunting. Spraying the ‘charging’ bear, with harmless inert spray builds confidence and provides an opportunity to learn when using bear spray is appropriate. Expert instruction helps people and bears.

As habitat decreases and hunger increases for bears, we are always excited for the chance to create activities and host this kind of event. Education and awareness of human impact is critical if we are to help animals survive. We have received more invitations and requests for partnerships than ever, but they take time and resources. Please donate to The Cougar Fund through Old Bill's here: https://bit.ly/4j3a2PU to support our work and more events like these.

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PO Box 122, 125 N Cache Street, 2nd Level
Jackson, WY
83001

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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