Our Wild World

The elusive, solitary and imperiled American Lion: puma concolor, cougar, panther, ghost cat, is the largest of the small cat species and roamed the full range of the continental United States and Europe, that is until the late 1600s when practically every nation on earth put out a bounty on them. By 1931 the US Congress passes the Animal Damage Control Act, giving the Secretary of Agriculture broad authority to expand the destruction of mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, prairie dogs, gophers, ground squirrels, jackrabbits, and other animals injurious to agriculture, horticulture, forestry, husbandry, game, or domestic animals, or that carried disease. The program was only dismantled after cougars could no longer be found. Although they are still hunted today, the mountain exists because it is so good at hiding from us. With our guests Lynn Cullen and Korinna Domingo of the Mountain lion foundation, we discuss the current threats facing this enigmatic cat of many names. By 1931 the US Congress passes