Cougar-Sierra Club

Because of hunters and a solitary nature, cougars (also known as the panther and mountain lion) are difficult to locate and study. In conjunction with his prize-winning documentary film aired on ABC in 1990, Dutcher compiled the 70 color photos here. Advised by Hornocker's Wildlife Research Service, he released Catrina, a pregnant female from the Boise Zoo, into a five-acre, specially built enclosure deep in Idaho's White Cloud Mountains; he observed her closely for a year. Following Dutcher's superb photographs, McCall combines the story of Dutcher's filmmaking with a richly detailed account of cougar behavior. In mid-July Catrina gave birth to three male kittens; while she accepted the presence of humans, the kittens were hostile to them and it was decided to release these cougars into deeper wilderness in the spring. In 1990-1991, 1800 cougars were killed in the 10 states that permit hunting. This book is a powerful argument for the protection of cougars. (Nov.)