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Overview
The cougar is one of the most beautiful, enigmatic, and majestic animals in the Americas. Eliciting reverence for its grace and independent nature, it also triggers fear when it comes into contact with people, pets, and livestock or competes for hunters’ game. Mystery, myth, and misunderstanding surround this remarkable creature.
The cougar’s range once extended from northern Canada to the tip of South America, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic, making it the most widespread animal in the western hemisphere. But overhunting and loss of habitat vastly reduced cougar numbers by the early twentieth century across much of its historical range, and today the cougar faces numerous threats as burgeoning human development encroaches on its remaining habitat.
When Maurice Hornocker began the first long-term study of cougars in the Idaho wilderness in 1964, little was known about this large cat. Its secretive nature and rarity in the landscape made it difficult to study. But his groundbreaking research yielded major insights and was the prelude to further research on this controversial species.
The capstone to Hornocker’s long career studying big cats, Cougar is a powerful and practical resource for scientists, conservationists, and anyone with an interest in large carnivores. He and conservationist Sharon Negri bring together the diverse perspectives of twenty-two distinguished scientists to provide the fullest account of the cougar’s ecology, behavior, and genetics, its role as a top predator, and its conservation needs. This compilation of recent findings, stunning photographs, and firsthand accounts of field research unravels the mysteries of this magnificent animal and emphasizes its importance in healthy ecosystem processes and in our lives.
Synopsis
The cougar is one of the most beautiful, enigmatic, and majestic animals in the Americas. Eliciting reverence for its grace and independent nature, it also triggers fear when it comes into contact with people, pets, and livestock or competes for hunters’ game. Mystery, myth, and misunderstanding surround this remarkable creature.
The cougar’s range once extended from northern Canada to the tip of South America, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic, making it the most widespread animal in the western hemisphere. But overhunting and loss of habitat vastly reduced cougar numbers by the early twentieth century across much of its historical range, and today the cougar faces numerous threats as burgeoning human development encroaches on its remaining habitat.
When Maurice Hornocker began the first long-term study of cougars in the Idaho wilderness in 1964, little was known about this large cat. Its secretive nature and rarity in the landscape made it difficult to study. But his groundbreaking research yielded major insights and was the prelude to further research on this controversial species.
The capstone to Hornocker’s long career studying big cats, Cougar is a powerful and practical resource for scientists, conservationists, and anyone with an interest in large carnivores. He and conservationist Sharon Negri bring together the diverse perspectives of twenty-two distinguished scientists to provide the fullest account of the cougar’s ecology, behavior, and genetics, its role as a top predator, and its conservation needs. This compilation of recent findings, stunning photographs, and firsthand accounts of field research unravels the mysteries of this magnificent animal and emphasizes its importance in healthy ecosystem processes and in our lives.
Editorials
Jim Williams
“No one is more qualified than Dr. Maurice Hornocker to produce the world’s most complete book on cougar ecology and management. Ranchers, wildlife managers, citizen advocates and animal lovers will all enjoy this magical tour through the mysterious world of the cougar.”—Jim Williams Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Wildlife Program Manager and current Vice President of the Wild Felid Research and Management Association
Luke Hunter
“Cougar is an encyclopedic tribute to the resilience of the American lion and the scientists who devote their careers to understanding it. Written by a blue-ribbon lineup of cougar experts, this is the most exhaustive and accessible overview of the species ever produced—it goes from showing how cougars eke out an existence in the remote Southern Andes to revealing the challenges they face negotiating superhighways in urban California and Florida. Suffering intense persecution across much of Latin America yet recovering and recolonizing former range in the United States, the adaptable cougar is a model for shaping a human future that includes large cats. Cougar is both timely warning and guidebook for what it will take to realize that vision. It will be a long time before there is anything more complete on the bookshelves.”— Luke Hunter, Executive Director, Panthera
Peter Matthiessen
“Cougar is a mighty compendium by twenty-two cougar authorities who share considerable first-hand experience in the field. A very important contribution, this book will surely takes its place as the definitive work on this fascinating, beautiful, and ever elusive animal.”—Peter Matthiessen