Cougars at Risk

Photo of mother cougar with kitten by Bill Dow

Mother cougar & kitten. Photo by Bill Dow.


Private sport hunters in Oregon are allowed to kill hundreds of cougars each year. We're working to protect this keystone species.



Issues & News

Oregon's Cougar Management Plan Calls for Slaughter

As of March 2009, three years into Oregon's ill-conceived Cougar Management Plan, the plan has been responsible for adding almost 100 more cougars to the state's growing body count. In addition to the increasing number of cougars killed by private hunters every year, government agents set traps and snares and use packs of hounds to immobilize and then shoot 92 more cougars, including 18 kittens. This indiscriminate killing of cougars by the government will continue under the plan until 2011.

Oregon Law Deals Major Blow to Cougars

A 2007 Oregon law allows private hunters to hunt cougars with dogs.

Unverified Cougar Incident Reports

In Washington, the Department of Fish and Wildlife records all cougar incident reports on a new website. Only 3 of the last 49 "sightings" were verified.

Related Articles & Papers

Data on Cougars in Oregon

Other Groups Working to Protect Cougars

Founded in 2001 to protect America's greatest cat, The Cougar Fund has garnered national media coverage for an attention-getting book and documentary short film. They educate children and adults on the value of cougars through funding and promoting the use of sound science and by monitoring state policies.



Spotlight on Cougars

Other Animals at Risk

How You Can Help

With your help—writing letters, posting flyers or making a donation—we can expand our efforts to save native predators and stop illegal hunting, trapping, and extensive predator-killing programs.

Get involved. Join us today.