Mountain Lion

We often fear the presence of predators without understanding their essential role in the maintenance of a healthy ecosystem. Predators ensure that a greater variety of species survive by naturally keeping prey populations in check. The mountain lion is the big cat of the Americas and they can be found from the Yukon in Canada to the Strait of Magellan. With such a large distribution, each tribe and civilization have given it a different name. This cat of many names is most often referred to as puma, cougar, and panther. The mountain lion population is decreasing worldwide because of habitat destruction, trophy hunting, poaching and poisoning. In this gallery I hope to show the significance and endurance of this top predator alongside an ecosystem that depends on its presence; The Patagonian Steppe