From the Director

From the Director

The other day, an insightful colleague asked me: When is the Mountain Lion Foundation’s work complete?

This is a great question, because it ties our mission — to ensure that mountain lions survive and flourish in the wild — to the bigger questions of why we do this work. Why are we so passionate about mountain lions?

My personal answer comes easily. I believe two things in my soul: First, mountain lions are living creatures that fundamentally deserve to live healthy and fulfilling lives, free from senseless persecution. Perhaps, like me, you’ve followed the development of the worldwide “rights of nature” movement, which recognizes the inherent rights of all living beings to exist and thrive. Mountain lions have a right to survive and flourish.

The second belief that drives my work is that humanity needs mountain lions for our own survival. When you look to the science, the research is loud and clear: Healthy ecosystems across North and South America depend on mountain lions, and we depend on those ecosystems. Published studies in the last few years have documented hundreds — hundreds! — of other species that benefit from lions, and particularly from their feeding sites. We depend on lions! As the climate crisis unfolds, I know that the work of the Mountain Lion Foundation is critical to keeping our natural world as healthy as possible in the years ahead.

So when is the work of the Mountain Lion Foundation complete? We envision a world where lions and people coexist, where sustainability includes the persistence of the human ecosystem in harmony with viable wildlife communities, and where wildlands are nurtured and not subdued. When this vision is achieved, our work is done. Is that a long way off? Yes, it is — we have work to do.

Happily, every single day, I see more and more people (especially young people) turning their attention to solving humanity’s greatest challenges, including addressing the climate crisis, slowing biodiversity loss, and creating more equitable socioeconomic systems. These challenges will not be solved by one person or one organization — we’re all in this together.

Thank you for playing an integral role in ensuring mountain lions survive and flourish in the wild — forever.

R. Brent Lyles, Executive Director

R. Brent Lyles, Executive Director