NATURE’s Trail of the Cougar profiles the “king cat” and its struggle for survival.

Hunted almost to extinction over the past three centuries, cougars are making a comeback today, with some 30,000 living in the wilds of North and South America. But still they face uncertain prospects, as human encroachment continues to shrink their natural habitats. Doggedly tracking these magnificent animals, once known as the “king cat,” filmmaker Ron Shade provides an incisive look at their prospects for survival in Trail of the Cougar.

Frequently referred to as mountain lions in some regions, cougars formerly roamed freely throughout the Americas, staking out the largest habitat of any New World mammal. But with their wilderness homes continuing to disappear, the normally secretive and solitary creatures often wander into human communities today, with sometimes amusing and sometimes tragic results.

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Online content for Trail of the Cougar was originally posted December 2002.

One minute, David Parker was stooped under a rock ledge seeking shelter from a drenching rain. The next, the 61-year old Canadian was rolling in a muddy roadside ditch, his jaw smashed, fighting for his life against a 100-pound cougar eager for a meal.

Cougar attacks are on the rise in North America. Such ambushes are an increasing fact of life in cougar country, which stretches across a large swath of western North America. In California, for instance, there had been no documented cougar attacks for 100 years prior to 1986. But since then, there has been an average of one attack on a hiker, jogger, or camper a year — some fatal. People living in the southwestern corner of Canada have seen a similar trend.

Wildlife experts don’t fully understand the increase. But a growing human population that is spreading out into areas once ruled by cougars is probably partly to blame. And greater interest in outdoor sports, from hiking to cross-country skiing, may be bringing more people into potentially dangerous conflict with the big cats — although there a number of steps you can take to stay out of harm’s way.

Still, as NATURE’s Trail of the Cougar shows, cougar attacks are very rare. Even dogs have killed far more people than the sinewy lions. Such statistics are of little comfort to Tayla Westgard, however. In Trail of the Cougar, the little girl tells the amazing story of surviving a cougar attack. And they don’t mean much to Parker, either.

Cougar attacks are on the rise in North America.

In August 2002, the Victoria island resident had gone for his usual evening walk along a remote gravel road when the rain descended and he ducked under a nearby overhang. Then, according to press reports, a big male lion jumped down beside him. Alarmed, Parker reached for a small folding knife he kept in his pocket — but the lion was quicker, seizing Parker’s scalp with his claws and fangs and knocking him into a rocky ditch. As the cat bit his neck and face, Parker somehow managed to open his knife and slash the cougar’s throat. As darkness descended, Parker staggered to a nearby logging yard, where workers rushed him to the hospital. “Not that many people get attacked by a cougar and get away,” a friend told reporters. Later, officials said it was the fourth attack in the rural region in two years. And they renewed their warnings to residents to take precautions, including walking in groups.

Other cougar experts offer these tips:

• If you encounter a cougar, try to convince it that you are not prey and that you may be dangerous. Don’t run. Don’t crouch down. Don’t stare into the cougar’s eyes. Pick up small children and gather together.
• If the cougar holds its ground, don’t turn your back. Wave your arms and shout to appear larger. Back slowly away and return to your vehicle or shelter.
• If a cougar approaches you, throw sticks or stones.
• If the aggression escalates, beat the animal with a stick, your fists, or other weapon.
• If you see a cougar kill another animal, such as a deer, leave the area immediately.
• If you live in cougar country, don’t leave livestock or pets unattended, or leave pet food outside.
• Report all cougar incidents to officials.

It was perhaps the saddest photograph Brian Call had ever taken. But it may help the Florida panther reach a happy ending in its struggle for survival.

Brian Call took this photo of a cougar that was struck by a car. In the spring of 2001, Call — a Florida wildlife illustrator and photographer — was driving home from a night of photography in a state park when he encountered a horrific sight: a young Florida panther, crumpled and silent in the middle of a rural highway. Stunned, Call climbed from his car to see if he could help, but it was too late. The panther had died minutes before; the body was still warm to the touch.

Soon, Call realized that the panther’s mother was hidden in some nearby trees, calling desperately to its lost daughter. Later, he would learn that the dead panther’s sibling, a male, was also killed that night by a car, not far away on the same highway.

Call knew he was witnessing a tragedy. As NATURE’s Trail of the Cougar notes, the elegant, powerful panther is Florida’s celebrated state mammal. But they are also one of the state’s rarest inhabitants, with less than 100 of the big cats remaining. Unfortunately, each year a few panthers lose their lives on the state’s highways, which increasingly hem in the cat’s shrinking habitat.

“I was quite upset, but I managed to pull myself together enough to document the scene,” Call recalled later. “The photos were the hardest images for me to take, but I made a promise to this panther that I would use them to help people become more aware of the hazards this endangered species faces.”

Indeed, Call’s photo has helped dramatize the threat that highways pose to Florida panthers. So did a memorial service he later organized at the spot. And while some major roads have fences and underpasses to help protect the cats, others remain dangerous byways. He hopes his efforts will help remind drivers to slow down to prevent tragic collisions — and convince government officials to step up efforts to protect the species.

Call discussed his interest in nature photography and his efforts on behalf of Florida’s panthers with NATURE:

NATURE: How did you get interested in nature photography?

Well, I’m originally from Massachusetts and I was always interested in nature. In the late 1980s, I went on a vacation to the Virgin Islands and learned how to use a professional camera. When my wife and I moved to Florida in 1991, I bought a nice camera. I had fallen in love with the Everglades; we didn’t have much money, but that was our escape. And I’ve been photographing there ever since, for the last 11 years.

Had you ever photographed a Florida panther before that night on the road?

No. But photographing a panther in the wild is the dream of every nature photographer in Florida. That night, I was on my way home from the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve. When I found the panther in the middle of the road, my first reaction was to sit there and pat it. Then, I heard a chirping sound and realized it was the mother calling out to her cub. That made the whole scene that much more tragic.

It also really moved me to want to do something more than take photographs. I had always believed that using photography to bring nature back to the public and my friends would be enough. But at that point I decided it wasn’t. So my wife and I came up with the idea of holding a roadside awareness ceremony [in June 2001]. I was really motivated to bring this problem to the attention of people.

What was the ceremony like?

It was great. We put signs up along the road. I gave a speech and had some panther biologists give talks. There was a nice crowd and lots of media. Some passing cars even slowed down. But we stayed way over on the side so no one became a road kill themselves.

Signs on Florida roads alert drivers to cougars in the area. Is there any kind of sign marking the spot?

We couldn’t leave anything permanent. We tried, but the [highway department] couldn’t understand why we wanted a roadside marker for something that wasn’t human. They said it had never been done before. I didn’t understand. I mean, this is the state mammal of Florida, and it symbolizes the state’s wilderness. I thought it was worthy, but they declined.

Are drivers aware of panthers?

There are signs all over the place that say “panther crossing,” and there are some flashing lights and rumble strips. But I’m still amazed at how many people fly down those roads.

Has it changed your driving habits?

I always drove the speed limit anyway, especially out in wilderness areas. Sometimes it takes me forever to get home.

Are cars the major threat to panthers?

Road kills are a major source of mortality. But they are not the only thing killing them. Panthers also fight over territory and sometimes to the death, because there is not enough habitat for them. So my biggest thing right now is preserving their habitat. That is the number one way to protect the Florida panther and its future.

You are active with Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge. Can you tell us more about that?

We assist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologists out on the refuge [headquartered in Naples, Florida]. We promote their mission and undertake activities, such as tree plantings and open houses. Anything to help raise awareness about panthers.

Have you seen other panthers in the wild?

I am actually lucky enough to have seen a live panther in the wild. I was with a small group and one crossed a dirt road we were on. He was about 100 feet away. We saw him for about 4 or 5 seconds. We also found tracks that day and a kill site; the panther had killed some type of bird. It was a high point for my wife and me. So I’ve seen a live panther but haven’t gotten any photographs of one. But I’ll keep trying.

Producer: Ronnie Godeanu
Art Director: Sabina Daley
Graphic Art: Lenny Drozner
Writer: Karen de Seve
Technical Director: Brian Patrick Lee
Scientific Consultant: Gianna Savoie

Thirteen Online is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York’s Kravis Multimedia Education Center in New York City. Anthony Chapman, Director of Interactive & Broadband. Carmen DiRienzo, Vice President and Managing Director, Corporate Affairs.

© 2001 Thirteen/WNET New York

All Rights Reserved

Television Credits

A Mike Birkhead Associates Production for BBC
A Presentation of Thirteen/WNET New York

Funder Credits

Funding for the TV series NATURE is made possible in part by Park Foundation. Major corporate support is provided by Canon U.S.A., Inc., Ford Motor Company, and TIAA-CREF. Additional support is provided by the nation’s public television stations.

For those interested in the subjects shown on GRAND CANYON, we present the following Web sites. All links are valid as of May 24, 2001.

Grand Canyon @ National Geographic
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/media/books/grandcanyon/
An interactive map, facts and figures, and canyon-centered books.

Grand Canyon National Park
http://www.thecanyon.com
The area’s official site, with links to the National Park Service, local tour operators, news, and weather.

Grand Canyon Explorer
http://www.kaibab.org/
Huge, varied site with historical, geological, and travel information, photos, and links to other outdoors sites.

DesertUSA
http://www.desertusa.com/
A monthly online magazine about the American Southwest.

ParkNet
http://www.nps.gov
The homepage of the National Park Service, this is a searchable site with news, travel tips, photos, and links to every park in the system.

Print Resources

We recommend the following print articles for those interested in subjects presented on the program.

——–. “A Day in the Life of a Visitor — Year 2003.” UPLIFT AND EROSION, August 1997.

——–. “Human/Wildlife Interactions.” NATURE NOTES, Spring 1995.

Hamblin, W.K., and Laura Hamblin. “Fire and Water.” NATURAL HISTORY, September 1997, 34-41.

Hart, Stephen. “Rafting Through Time.” SCIENCE WORLD, September 2, 1997, 17-19.

Williams, Ted. “Seeking Refuge.” AUDUBON, May 1996, 34-45.

Zwinger, Ann. “A Landscape of Memory.” AUDUBON, May 1996, 30-31.

A bighorn sheep. It’s not difficult to encounter wildlife in the canyon. Mule deer, bighorn sheep, bobcats, mountain lions, and elk wander the same trails that visitors travel. Seeing animals close up in their natural habitats is breathtaking, but unfortunately, many people forget these creatures are wild. According to Elaine Leslie, a biologist at Grand Canyon National Park, run-ins with wildlife injure about 20 people each year — sometimes seriously. All it takes is a 400-pound deer striking out with a hoof or turning to take a stab with its antlers. However, the trouble begins many times when human visitors don’t respect the animals’ wildness. “I can’t tell you how many people we have who try to put their children on the backs of animals,” Leslie explains.

A bighorn sheep.

But as much as humans need to be careful about themselves, they need to keep the animals’ welfare in mind as well. Even though it’s forbidden to do so in any national park, people love to feed animals. And what creature can resist a tasty treat when it’s offered? The problems arise when the wildlife comes to depend on humans for meals. “The worst-case scenario for the animals is that they lose their ability to forage and strictly seek out handouts,” Leslie says. “We had a population of deer that developed a condition called cachexia, which is literally starving to death.” She explained that fawns acquired the behavior from their parents, never learned to feed themselves, and eventually died. Tragically, the park staff was unable to rescue this group of 30 deer.

An animal autopsy report showed something shocking: about five pounds of trash in one deer’s stomach. “Paper, candy wrappers, plastic bags. Anything associated with food,” Leslie explains. “Every single animal had trash in its stomach.” After a few months, Leslie found that deer began to migrate back into the same area, and the park launched a public awareness campaign to show what happens when visitors ignore the rules. “We have improved the health of the mule deer, and we are using that experience to make sure it doesn’t happen with our elk and bighorn sheep in the area,” Leslie says.

A downy woodpecker.

Another way humans are clashing with native wildlife is by seeing the Grand Canyon in a newly popular way: flying through the gully in a small airplane. Since the 1920s, tourists have marveled at the size of the canyon from a bird’s-eye view, but today more than 100,000 commercial flights per year echo engine sounds off the mile-high walls. While the 30 air tour operators provide a unique view for visitors, the noise pollution they create destroys the natural silence for those on the ground — including the wildlife.

In his 1996 Earth Day speech, President Clinton stated that “the intrusion of such aircraft can interfere with wildlife (including threatened and endangered species), cultural resources and ceremonies, and visitors’ enjoyment of the parks, including the ability to experience natural sounds without interruption from mechanical noise.” Ironically, his voice was temporarily drowned out by a plane as he spoke to the crowd. In 1987, Congress passed the National Parks Overflights Act to control the noise pollution situation. Years later, Congress continues to deliberate over the strictness of this law, and whether or not to make some national parks flight-free.