MOUNTAIN LIONS, THE VALUE OF KEYSTONE SPECIES
When: May 17, 2024, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Additional Hike: May 18, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm, Aiken Canyon Preserve, Limited to 10 Participants
Where: Bear Creek Nature Center
245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
This event is part of the Pikes Peak Birding and Nature Festival.
Twenty years ago, when I first started studying and filming mountain lions, I noticed they occupied some of the best wildlife habitat I was spending time in. I assumed they were drawn to this habitat for many reasons, beginning with more prey. But over the years I learned they were responsible, in large part, for creating this habitat as a keystone species. The role that keystone species play in maximizing the health of an ecosystem is something worth learning about, respecting and supporting. If they keystone species is thriving in an ecosystem, many other species will thrive as well.
Everything is connnected. 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.
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.
Black bears, deer, elk and moose do not overgraze the area around this spring because mountain lions keep them moving. The area stays lush and green all summer long as a result. This is an excellent example of the value of a keystone species, in this case, mountain lions.
MEET YOUR HOST - DAVID NEILS
David Neils and his dog Autumn enjoying a break in some of the best mountain lion country in Northern Colorado.
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.