Patty Perry and Max visit Nueva Vista

One notable difference between the cougar and other big cats is that they can hiss, scream and growl but cannot roar.  In late September, Patty Perry, founder of Wildlife and Environmental Conservation, Inc. visited Nueva Vista with her 6-week old adopted cougar cub, Max.  Max was orphaned at one day old.  Patty was called to his rescue, and Max now lives at the WEC facility in Moorpark, CA.  Max has dark spots and bright blue eyes.  He is soft to the touch and has a wonderful deep purr / growl.

Patty founded Wildlife and Environmental Conservation, Inc. after years of practicing raptor rehabilitation at the Ojai Raptor Center, which treats over 1,500 native birds annually.  The WEC facility consists of 12 lovely acres and the entire property is fenced using 8-foot tall chain link, with additional security provided by surveillance cameras throughout. Wildlife conservation education for school age children is the major focus of WEC.  Patty presents programs to schools and churches, and also does community outreach and private programs.

Max is not the only “big” cat at WEC.  A serval and Siberian lynx share a 22-foot wide by 72-foot long enclosure. Inside this spacious habitat are lemon trees for shade, and an elevated platform with a cathouse built on top. The ground is secured with chain link and five inches of sand lay on top. The cats’ feeding area is sheltered under a 10-foot by 20-foot solid roof.

For the tigers, a pair of 20-foot by 30-foot retreat enclosures connect to a 10,000 square foot communal exercise habitat. The retreats are 9-gauge-chain link, 14 feet tall, and are completely covered with solid aluminum roofing over steel purloins. Concrete feeding slabs and automatic waterers are provided. Above the large exercise habitat are mist and fly spray systems. The tigers have their own platform and cat condos. A pair of metal 10-foot water troughs gives the tigers access to water for soaking and play.

The cougar has been known by more names than any other animal including mountain lion, mountain screamer, pi-twal, carcajou, puma, catamount and many others. Cougars are great athletes. Their long hind legs give them an incredible horizontal leaping ability of nearly forty feet in one bound, second only to the snow leopard which can reputedly cover forty five feet in a jump.

The cougar is a versatile predator and are capable of taking down a variety of animals, ranging from rodents to moose. Their predominant prey species in most parts, however, is deer.  They stalk and ambush prey employing their great speed and momentum to take down various species and then proceed to make the kill with a lethal neck bite.

Despite their prolific hunting profile, Cougars are not at the top of the food chain in many of their native ecosystems.  In many areas, they face stiff competition from bears, wolves and jaguars.  As a result, cougars have evolved developing unique survival strategies, including the ability to swim and climb trees.  Even with their vast geographic distribution and adaptive ability, cougar numbers are declining in the wild owning to loss of habitat and prey. Conflict with humans also does not bode well for cougars as they increasingly come into contact with people pushing into their territory.  Max’s role in educating the public about cougars is becoming ever more important as cougar and human habitats collide.