Colorado Parks and Wildlife has aired a new 4-part video series discussing cougars. The video series was released to help people understand the history of cougars. Likewise, the series will also talk about living in mountain lion country.
Cougars in Colorado
Prior to 1965, the state of Colorado managed cougars as a predator, similar to coyotes. This meant that the mountain lions were unregulated and were able to be taken all year long. However, after 1965 Colorado changed the status of cougars to a big game animal. This allowed the state to create a management plan, implement new hunting seasons, and regulate harvest. This allowed the population to rebound and grow.
“Mountain lions are a fascinating yet elusive animal, but when they do pop on the radar they make for big headlines. Sightings of mountain lions are increasing and we’ve had a couple of high-profile attacks in the last two years. Thanks to sound management practices implemented over the years, mountain lions are doing quite well in Colorado. The challenge going forward will be balancing decreasing habitats and our exploding human populations since we share the same spaces. This video series is meant to lay that all out.” – CPW Director Dan Prenzlow
Currently, CPW estimates that there are between 3,800 to 4,400 adult mountain lions in the state. Unfortunately, as the population has grown contact with humans has been on the rise.
Each video in the series will focus on different topics regarding mountain lions. The title for each video are as follows:
- Episode one – Mountain Lion Biology & Historical Perspective.
- Episode two – Mountain Lion Habitat & Human Expansion.
- Episode three – Mountain Lion Hunting.
- Episode four – What to do if you encounter a Mountain Lion.
You can watch the four episodes on Youtube here.
CPW states that the main focus of these video series is the protection of both humans and mountain lions. Likewise, they hope to shed light on how they manage cougars.
So, what are your thoughts on these educational videos about cougars? Have you ever seen a mountain lion while in the outdoors? Let us know in the comments!
