IMPACT
Science + Story + Practical Action
Heart of a Lion is more than a film. It is rooted in decades of research and a growing body of science demonstrating that people and mountain lions can safely share the same landscapes.
The families you meet in the film live at the edge of expanding human communities.
Their future, and ours, depends on informed decisions grounded in evidence rather than assumption.
The science is clear: proactive coexistence reduces conflict, strengthens ecosystems, and protects both human safety and wildlife.
Below you’ll find practical guides and peer-reviewed research that support this work.
Living in Cougar Country
Living in Cougar Country (PDF)
Visiting Cougar Country
How to Visit Cougar Country (PDF)
The Science Behind Coexistence
The work featured in Heart of a Lion is grounded in peer-reviewed research led by Dr. Mark Elbroch through Panthera’s Puma Program.
For decades, Panthera scientists have studied mountain lion ecology and human–wildlife conflict across the Americas — challenging long-held assumptions about these animals.
Mountain lions are not solitary, random wanderers. They are socially structured carnivores whose stability influences conflict levels.
Research shows that indiscriminate lethal removal can disrupt these social systems and increase instability. In contrast, proactive coexistence strategies — including conflict prevention and community education — are more effective, sustainable, and rooted in evidence.
This science forms the foundation of the story on screen — and the work continuing beyond it.
Key Research
Elbroch et al., 2017 – Science Advances
Human-caused mortality influences mountain lion social structure and population dynamics.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1701218
Elbroch et al., Mammal Review
A synthesis of research on puma behavior, ecology, and implications for management and coexistence.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mam.12281
These studies form part of a growing scientific consensus:
Proactive coexistence reduces conflict more effectively than reactive lethal control.
One Cat Many Names
Mountain lions, pumas, and cougars are all names for the same species—Puma concolor. In fact, this adaptable big cat holds the record for having more common names than almost any other animal, with dozens—if not hundreds—of regional names across the Americas, from “panther” to “catamount,” reflecting its vast range and deep cultural significance.
The Importance of Mountain Lions in Ecosystems
Like the keystone in an arch, certain species hold entire ecosystems together—remove them, and the system begins to collapse. These “keystone species,” including ecosystem engineers like the American beaver, shape habitats in ways that support biodiversity. New research now reveals that pumas also play this role: beyond regulating prey, their kills create critical habitats that sustain hundreds of species, from beetles to birds. By generating large carcasses that fuel complex food webs and ecological interactions, pumas act as both apex predators and ecosystem engineers—quietly maintaining the resilience and diversity of the natural world, with benefits that ultimately extend to humans.