Mountain lions (AKA cougars, pumas, Puma concolor, etc.) have a habit of turning up where they are not supposed to be. There is a breeding population of them in Los Angeles, last summer one made an appearance in San Francisco, and in 2008 a mountain lion made it all the way to Chicago. But few stories are as remarkable as the 2,000 mile journey of the Connecticut Cat; who is the subject of an upcoming webinar on Wednesday, September 28 from 11 am to 12 pm PDT.
When cougars reach 13.5 – 18 months of age, they leave their natal range to establish territories of their own (Hunter, 2015). This is what the Connecticut Cat did when he left his home turf in the Black Hills of South Dakota. But unlike most mountain lions from that area he headed east – and he kept going. He traveled through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario, New York, and eventually he arrived in southern Connecticut: where he was unfortunately hit by a car.
Despite this sad ending, the Connecticut Cat’s death was not in vain. He was glimpsed by several people along the way, and his journey sparked increased appreciation for his species. He showed just how remarkable mountain lions are, reemphasizing the fact that they are more than just killers. The producers of The Secret Life of Mountain Lions are now helping to continue the Connecticut Cat’s legacy by hosting a free webinar with author William Stolzenburg, who has just written a book called Heart of a Lion: A Lone Cat’s Walk Across America.
The webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 28 from 11 am – 12 pm Pacific Time (2 pm – 3 pm EST). William Stolzenburg will share a wealth of information about the Connecticut Cat, and participants will be able to ask him questions via the internet. This will be an excellent learning opportunity for anyone who is interested in mountain lions: especially those who would like to see them return to the eastern US.
Click here to register for the free, interactive webinar with author William Stolzenburg!
The Jaguar 
Sounds so exciting and interesting. I wished… :) Thank you dear Josh, have a nice weekend, Love, nia
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Thanks Nia! If the timing works out for you I hope you can sign up for the webinar, it will be a great chance to learn more about that remarkable cat.
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Yes, exactly but not possible for me… You are welcome, Love, nia
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I didn’t know those cats traveled so much. I remember seeing them in the canyons near Glendale California
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Yea man, they’re incredible animals. One study from Canada that I just located (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4540023/) recorded a young male cougar dispersing over 1600 miles in his quest for a good home. When males disperse, they tend to keep going until they find a good habitat with ample prey and females. Since the Connecticut Cat headed into the eastern US where there are no females, he just kept going.
Did you used to live in Glendale? I’m in CA right now, but I’m way up north in Humboldt county. I might try to make it down to LA though and learn some more about the situation with the mountain lions in that area.
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I used to work out there. They were very elusive. I would see more coyotes than bobcats. The coyotes and bears were more brazen. Great post.
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Thanks man! Yea, mountain lions and bobcats definitely don’t like to be seen.
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If you are really looking for mountain lions in California, check out the area near the 210 Fwy near La Crescenta and Altadena. There are some mountain lions who have been spotted near Pasadena’s famous Rose Bowl arena. There are hiking paths and warning signs everywhere. But they are very elusive to capture on film.
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Yea, I’ve heard that even if you’re in an area with lots of mountain lions you hardly ever see them. I guess that’s a good thing, because that keeps chances for negative encounters to a minimum. I hear there are mountain lions up by me too, but I’ve yet to see any signs of them. Oh, and the reason I’m interested in the LA lions is because that’s one of only two cases I’m aware of in which there are big cats living within the limits of a mega-city. That’s a really unique situation, and I figure that while I’m in CA I should try to look into doing some research there.
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