Mountain Lions Shape a Whole Ecosystem Even in a Small Preserve
New research from Stanford shows that mountain lions can drive a trophic cascade even in a small suburban nature preserve. Over five years at Jasper Ridge near San Francisco, rising puma activity lowered deer activity and helped young oak trees and woody plants thrive. The cats also reshaped the smaller predators, with coyotes and bobcats declining, gray foxes rising, and rabbits falling. The findings, published in Ecology and Evolution, show that the ecology of fear is not only a Yellowstone phenomenon. Small preserves connected to large wild areas like the Santa Cruz Mountains can host magnificent ecological effects, which makes protecting top predators and keeping habitats connected more important than ever.
Sand Cats Discovered in Libya
A simple YouTube video of a sand cat, filmed in Libya in 2017, helped scientists confirm that these tiny desert cats live in the country, something researchers had not documented before. Wildlife photographer Mohammad Almuntasir shared the footage, teamed up with researcher Firas Hayder and local Tuareg communities, and together they recorded the first verified sand cat sightings in Libya, including thirteen in a single area that may be a stronghold. The survey also revealed the Saharan striped polecat in eight new locations. Learn how community knowledge and one short clip expanded the known range of the sand cat, why camouflage kept it hidden, and what the team says is needed to protect these desert animals from the pet and traditional medicine trades.
Sand Cat Facts
When the Jungle Keeps a Secret
Deep in the jungles of southern Mexico, archaeologists just found a city no one had seen in over a thousand years. They named it Minanbé — Maya for "there is no path." To reach it, they cut five kilometers through forest so dense it had hidden an entire city, with temples, plazas, and carved monuments, completely intact. No looting. Untouched.
But here's what moves me. That same forest — Calakmul — is the last great stronghold of the jaguar in Mexico. Around five hundred of them still walk there, through the second-largest rainforest in the Americas. Five of Mexico's six wild cat species still hunt these ruins.
The Maya worshipped the jaguar as a god — a spirit that walked between worlds. Their kings are dust now. Their cities fell silent. But the jaguar? The jaguar endured. In a way, the wild cats have carried the Maya forward in their spirits.
The forest that protected this city for a thousand years is being cleared right now. So protect the habitat, and you protect them both — the ancient and the living.
The Corbett Foundation
The 2024-25 Annual Report commemorates the 30th anniversary of The Corbett Foundation (TCF), an Indian non-profit established in 1994 to foster human-wildlife coexistence. The document highlights TCF’s expansion from its origins in Uttarakhand to nine distinct landscapes across seven states, focusing on the protection of threatened species like tigers, elephants, and vultures. Key initiatives detailed include the Livestock Compensation Programme, which prevents retaliatory killings, and extensive habitat restoration efforts that have revived thousands of hectares of forests and grasslands. Beyond ecology, the foundation integrates community well-being through rural medical outreach, sustainable livelihood training, and the distribution of green energy solutions. By combining scientific research with grassroots engagement, TCF aims to secure India’s natural heritage while improving the lives of people residing near protected wilderness areas. Collaborative partnerships with government agencies and international conservation bodies remain central to their mission of balancing environmental integrity with social development.
Big Cat Bans Enacted
