PRESENTATION: MOUNTAIN LIONS, ELUSIVE YET PREDICTABLE

When: January 19 AND 20, 2024, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Where: Evergreen Fire/Rescue Auditorium

1802 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen, CO 80439  

January 19th Presentation (Sold Out)

Sponsor: Wild Aware (wildaware.org)

January 20th Presentation (Nine Seats Available)

Please use the Contact Us form to request a seat at this time. Include your full name, email address and number of seats you are interested in.

Sponsor: Cedar Cove Conservation & Education Center (saveoursiberians.org)

Twenty years ago, when I first started studying and filming mountain lions, I assumed they were elusive and unpredictable. I followed their tracks in the snow to determine if there were any natural factors that would help me pinpoint how they navigated across the landscape. After about five years of spending time weekly in their home turf, I came to realize that yes, they are elusive and yet very predictable in how they hunt and navigate across the landscape. Over time I honed in on four factors that allowed me to predict their activity. For their size, they are one of the most predictable animals I’ve studied in North America. This combination is unique for any wildlife species and makes the mountain lion a fascinating animal to study.

John Muir lived this quote. He has had an enormous influence on my work, both as a scientist and a conservationist. By focusing on mountain lions I ended up learning about a host of wildlife species, insects, riparian areas, plant diversity, forest health and much more. Did you know there is a direct connection between grasshoppers and mountain lions? We’ll talk about that connection and many more.

There is something magical that happens when we step into nature with the curiousity of a child and leave these sacred spaces with more questions than answers. Leaning into these connections around us results in a better understanding of the natural world which benefits all life, including our own.

All of the wildlife footage you’ll see during this presentation is of completely wild behavior of truly wild wildlife in wild places. No shortcuts were ever taken. You deserve it.

JANUARY 19 PRESENTATION SPONSOR - WILD AWARE

A big thanks to Wild Aware for sponsoring this presentation, allowing the wildlife enthusiasts of Evergreen, Colorado and surrounding area to attend for free!

Wild Aware was founded in 2019 to identify methods to mitigate high rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions on Highway 74.

We have worked with many state and local wildlife agencies, law enforcement, road and highway agencies, non-profit groups, and volunteers in our efforts to educate residents and visitors about wildlife and to help reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions in our community. Our Road Aware project will continue to work on these issues. Please join this team if you would like to be involved in wildlife-vehicle mitigation efforts.

JANUARY 20 PRESENTATION SPONSOR - CEDAR COVE CONSERVATION & EDUCATION CENTER

Cedar Cove is a non-profit conservation and educational center committed to the care and preservation of endangered species while educating the public on the importance of their preservation and that of their natural ecosystems, as well as the impending dangers of their extinction. They are based in Louisburg, Kansas.

MEET YOUR HOST - DAVID NEILS

I offer these events as a way to share my passion for getting to know these wild places well. Like a great friend, they become an intimate part of our lives, nourish our souls and bring peace to our hearts. And it’s a chance to pay it forward after the gift I received as a child to spend time alone in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area of NW Montana.

The last twenty years have been spent studying and filming mountain lions in some of the wildest country of Colorado and Montana. I developed a system, using four natural factors, which allows me to pinpoint mountain lion activity throughout the United States, Canada and Chile. I enjoy sharing this knowledge and supporting others to study this magnificent apex predator through a personalized Mountain Lion Workshop which includes mapping mountain lion activity in the client’s chosen area, up to 100 square miles.

In addition to sharing a passion for mountain lions and other wildlife, I enjoy supporting others to navigate boldly and safely in the backcountry. I’ve been refining a system since 1971, Ten Essentials Plus, which eliminates many of the factors that result in Search and Rescue operations. In fact, it completely eliminates the Search in Search and Rescue. I also provide hands on orienteering courses, supporting clients to have the confidence to explore the wild areas around them.