Mountain lions are vital to Texas wildlife ecosystems. The state must act to protect them

In April, the Star-Telegram shared the story of several hikers in Big Bend National Park who captured incredible footage of a mountain lion stealthily ambushing a deer. The footage gave a rare glimpse into the lives of these misunderstood Texas predators, showing that the cat had no interest in attacking the hikers, instead springing with laser focus on its prey.

The video captured nature that most Texans will probably never see in person. But while these cats are phantoms to most, ensuring their place in our Texas ecosystems should matter to us all. Now is the time to protect our Texas mountain lions.

Rarely have Texans officially discussed mountain lions. The last legislation regarding the cats came in 1993, when the late Sen. Chris Harris authored a bill that would have defined mountain lions as a “game” species, managed through reported hunting. A committee approved the bill, but the full Senate never discussed it. No official discussion has happened since.

What do we know now about mountain lions that we didn’t know 30 years ago? Lots, in fact. Mountain lions are known by many familiar names, including cougar, puma, and catamount, but all are the same species. They range from Canada down to the southernmost tip of Chile, the widest territory of any land mammal.

Once thought to be solitary, coldblooded killers, mountain lions were among the most persecuted species in North America, extirpated across the East and Midwest, save for a small population in Florida that sheltered in the swamps. Other survivors escaped to the craggy mountains in the West through the middle of the last century. Among the places of refuge were the Davis mountains in far West Texas and thick brushland in South Texas.

Since then, scientists have documented the cats’ intricate social networks across the Americas. And, according to a recent study by the big-cat conservation group Panthera, mountain lions maintain relationships with nearly 500 living species, holding America’s ecosystems together.

As headlines about ecological crises and climate change hit us everyday, preserving this keystone species is more critical than ever, especially as Texas hurtles towards a population of 50 million by midcentury and habitat fragmentation continues.

Across the West, state wildlife agencies have matured in their approach, and every state with a breeding population of mountain lions has a management plan. Every state, that is, except Texas, where they are still considered “vermin.”

In 1973, the Legislature classified them as a nongame species, placing them in the same category as squirrels and frogs. And a 1977 rule specifically excludes them from any protections, so they’re subject to unlimited killing and trapping by inhumane leghold traps.

Having no rules around the management of the species presents a conundrum for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department because mountain lions are also listed as a “Species of Greatest Conservation Need,” ranking them between “imperiled” and “vulnerable.” Without any rules, however, no remedies can exist.

Thankfully in June, a coalition of landowners, biologists and conservationists called Texans for Mountain Lions officially approached the parks department with several common-sense requests, including: Conducting research on the Texas population status; Hunting (or “harvest”) reporting requirements; 36-hour trap check times, consistent with trapping regulations for other species; and, most importantly, forming a stakeholder advisory group to collaborate with the agency on a management plan for Texas mountain lions.

Hopefully, the department and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission can convene this advisory group as their annual meeting approaches in late August so stakeholders can discuss these issues.

Wildlife is held in public trust, so it’s up to people from all sides of the issue to come together. It’s no longer acceptable for Texas to lack a management plan for this iconic species. Learn more and sign up to help at texansformountainlions.org.