Coexistence requires education 

Many people in Sonoma County might be unaware that they share territory with one of America’s top predators. Except for a rare sighting in car headlights or hearing about a neighbor losing a goat, understanding that North Bay Mountain lions are our neighbors, albeit wild ones, can get lost in the shadows of misinformation and fear. As part of the education component of the Audubon Canyon Ranch Living with Lions study, lion ambassadors are educating the community about the essential role these apex predators play in the local food web, the survival challenges lions face, the importance and need for research, and the ways that we can coexist with our wild neighbors to ensure safety for domestic animals, livestock, and mountain lions.  

Eager and ready for science 

“How high can a mountain lion jump?”  

Sherry Wright, mountain lion ambassador, asks this question to a room of 30 third graders at Liberty Elementary School in Petaluma.  

A sea of hands shoots up. “Alright, it looks like you all know the answer,” says Wright. “Say it together!”  

Wright waves her hands like a conductor as the students exclaim, “15 FEET!”  

Wright’s fellow ambassador, Barbara Madick, pulls out a 40-foot length of rope, which the classroom teacher, Mrs. Tunzi, and Madick drape across the classroom, demonstrating the real-life distance a lion can leap when running. 

Bringing science to the classroom 

In 2024, ambassadors from the Our Wild Neighbors program visited 46 classes and reached a total of 1,100 elementary and middle school students with multi-media slideshows, demonstrations, and hands-on activities to teach mountain lion research techniques and conservation. 

At Liberty Elementary School, the students are eager and ready for the presentation. Wright noted afterward that the kids had excellent vocabulary, understanding terms and concepts like “cache” and “habitat.” They were geared up because Tunzi prepped them ahead of time with curriculum from Audubon Canyon Ranch.  

Before the presentation, Tunzi received mountain lion educational materials from Liz Martins, school programs manager, and accessed accompanying videos from the Audubon Canyon Ranch website. Tunzi used “Meet Luna the Puma,” a 16-page activity book written from the perspective of a female mountain lion to teach mountain lion life history and ecology.  

Wright also noted that Tunzi’s students were engaged during the presentation, which she called “typical” of classes that learn the preparation curriculum. During this presentation, all eyes are focused on the ambassadors and the room is awash with excitedly raised hands.  

Finding solutions to relevant issues  

The ambassadors introduce students to data collection techniques, teaching students to read maps with GPS data points from actual North Bay mountain lion tracking coordinates used for analyzing territory and behavior. Ambassadors also teach about the critical role of female lions in raising cubs, which elicits a chorus of “awwws” as the students watch trail camera footage of fluffy, spotted kittens.  

One lesson that hits home for the students is the importance and responsibility of protecting livestock and pets, and how this also protects mountain lions. This lesson is especially relevant because Liberty Elementary School serves a rural population in Petaluma with families more likely to have livestock and outdoor pets. “I think it’s important for the students to understand that they may be living in a mountain lion’s home site,” said Madick. “It’s our responsibility to take care of our domesticated animals and keep them safe.” 

Community convergence for lions 

On a beautiful spring morning 46 people arrive at Bouverie Preserve and are greeted by Liz Martins and Dr. Quinton Martins, Living with Lions’ principal investigator. The group has come together around an interest in serving as lion ambassadors in their communities. Though the turnout of nearly fifty is a large group, the group represents only half of the total number of sign-ups for the training. A second workshop will be happening in the fall to serve another 50 signups.  

Liz Martins is delighted by the response, sharing, “I was very gratified by the signups for the training. It shows people want to be active in speaking about and helping mountain lions in their communities.”  

Speaking up for lions

Martins explains that the vision of the community ambassador program is to prepare people to have conversations in their local communities about the challenges North Bay mountain lions face and share coexistence strategies. Coexistence is a central goal for the ambassadors, who will have resources and contact information ready to support people who have livestock and pets in lion territory.    

Dr. Quinton Martins shares, “Coexistence isn’t something that just happens. It takes effort through education. Helping people to find solutions, we can also end up coexisting with these animals.” 

Eyes and ears in local communities 

Over the course of the three-hour training, the Martins give presentations teaching all manner of mountain lion knowledge, such as life history, puma-proof enclosures, the role of lions in the ecosystem, conservation challenges, and Living with Lions research findings. 

Liz Martins also points out another important role for ambassadors saying, “The ambassadors are extending our reach as the eyes and ears on the ground for the Living with Lions program in local communities.” The ambassadors will know what to do and who to call if they hear of a deceased lion or catch wind of depredation of livestock.  

Conservation is a community effort 

Are you caring for pets or farm animals in mountain lion territory? With a few precautions, you can help keep your pets — and wildlife — safe. Download our guide, developed in partnership with True Wild, that includes a look at what’s on the menu for these big cats, what to do if you spot a lion on the trail, and simple steps to take to safely coexist with your wild neighbors. 

We are grateful for the support of the Disney Conservation Fund in bringing science to the classroom. Join us in supporting local conservation today. Become a member >