"A refreshing take on the relationships between humans and cougars, written by one of the foremost cougar experts in North America…. This book will be of interest to policy makers and conservation scientists, as well as nature enthusiasts and community members living in areas where cougars are present." "This is a well-illustrated and very readable book that explores a range of different perspectives on the challenges of living with the cougar …. The result is a powerful survey especially recommended for those who live in areas where cougars are making a comeback."
" The Cougar Conundrum belongs in any nature collection strong in conservation and animal protection, discussing the rise of mountain lions in human areas and why they should be considered a positive force…. "This is an enlightening book that provides facts and hope for this animal’s future." "The book…is perfect for wildlife biologists, the general public, and nature enthusiasts, especially those who want to learn how to live successfully with a large carnivore that has been given an unduly bad rap for being dangerous around people…This is an important book." "A concise account illustrating issues surrounding wildlife conservation efforts in the United States while providing an informative natural history of the mountain lion." "Elbroch takes readers on a tour of cougar biology and ecology, emphasizing how important the big cats are to the ecosystem.Policymakers, conservationists, and hunters alike will find this a useful, if sometimes controversial, handbook." The Cougar Conundrum delivers a clear-eyed assessment of a modern wildlife challenge, offering practical advice for wildlife managers, conservationists, hunters, and those in the wildland-urban interface who share their habitat with large predators. The result, he argues, is a win-win for humans, mountain lions, and the ecosystems that depend on keystone predators to keep them in healthy balance. In the last few chapters, he touches on human impacts on mountain lions and the need for a sensible management strategy. He walks us through the realities of human safety in the presence of mountain lions, livestock safety, competition with hunters for deer and elk, and threats to rare species, dispelling the paranoia with facts and logic. Elbroch argues that humans and mountain lions can peacefully coexist in close proximity if we ignore uninformed hype and instead arm ourselves with knowledge and common sense. He dismisses long-held myths about mountain lions and uses groundbreaking science to uncover important new information about their social habits. Mountain lion biologist and expert Mark Elbroch welcomes these tough questions. Its recovery has led to an unexpected conundrum: Do more mountain lions mean they’re a threat to humans and domestic animals? Or, are mountain lions still in need of our help and protection as their habitat dwindles and they’re forced into the edges and crevices of communities to survive? In recent years, this keystone predator has made a remarkable comeback, but today humans and mountain lions appear destined for a collision course.
A century ago, mountain lions were vilified as a threat to livestock and hunted to the verge of extinction.
The relationship between humans and mountain lions has always been uneasy.