When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors: People and Wildlife Working it Out in California

Now updated with a new preface: a full-color celebration of coexistence with California’s iconic wildlife.

Wildness beats in the heart of California’s urban areas, and across the state Californians are taking action to recast wildlife as an integral part of our everyday lives. In Los Angeles, residents rallied to build one of the largest wildlife crossings in the world because of the plight of one lonely mountain lion named P-22. Porpoises cavort in San Francisco Bay again because of a grassroots effort to clean up a waterway that was once a toxic mess. Yosemite’s park staff and millions of visitors have mobilized to keep its famed bears wild. And after a near century-long absence, Californians are welcoming wolves back to the state, inspired by the remarkable journey of the wolf OR-7. When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors explores this evolving dynamic between humans and animals. Now updated with a new preface, these inspiring stories celebrate a new model for wildlife conservation: coexistence.

• Publisher: ‎ Heyday; original edition August 1, 2016, second edition 2024
• Language: ‎ English
• Paperback: ‎ 248 pages with full-color photos

All proceeds benefit the non-profit National Wildlife Federation’s #SaveLACougars campaign to build the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing and advance connectivity efforts in Southern California and beyond. The Wallis Annenberg Crossing broke ground in 2022 and is advancing toward completion in 2026. Building on significant historic preservation efforts, we are reconnecting a vital habitat corridor to help save the local population of mountain lions and ensure a future for all wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains.