The Wild Felid Research & Management Association

Research. Manage. Educate. Conserve.

The Wild Felid Research and Management Association (WFA) is a non-profit association of professionals and non-professionals directly involved with research and management of wild cats or simply interested in learning more about wild felids and ways to help conserve them in the Western Hemisphere.

Our mission is to promote the sound management, conservation, and restoration, where necessary, of wild felids in the Western Hemisphere through science-based management and education. Our intention is to openly share knowledge and expertise by facilitating relationships with and among government entities, non-governmental organizations, universities, and other interested parties.

What WFA stands for...

Highest scientific & professional standards in research, management & conservation of wild felids;

Science-based management & conservation;

Communication & collaboration across scientific disciplines;

Increased public awareness on felid biology, ecology, conservation & education;

Professional growth of our members;

Access to resources, technologies & tools.

 

 

"The Wild Felid Research and Management Association provides a long overdue and valuable conduit for increased communication and cooperation among cat biologists in the Western Hemisphere."

Mel Sunquist, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Florida

The summer issue of The Wild Felid Monitor is out!  

This issue has a variety of topics, including:
Invited article - Niche overlap in apex predators in Virginia, by R. Alonso & M. Kelly;
Pumas & wild burros; 
The bobcat's unique role in the carnivore guild; 
Ocelot-vehicle collision prevention.....
AND MUCH MORE  


WFA's mailing address has changed! 
Please send any written correspondence to:
WFA
PO Box 272928
Fort Collins, CO 80527

 Winter 2023 issue

Now that the summer issue is out, WFA is busy collecting articles for the Winter 2024 issue.   
If you have something you'd like to share, consider submitting an article! We are looking for Notes from the Field and especially
Tools of the Trade articles.
The deadline for submissions for the winter 2024 issue is October 30. 

Contact us at wfawildfelidmonitor@gmail.com or wild.felid.association@gmail.com if you are interested. 

 News & Events

Cougars on the Cliff

 

 

New!

Cougars on the Cliff: one man's pioneering quest to understand the mythical mountain lion. A Memoir. 

Maurice Hornocker is recognized worldwide as the first scientist to unravel the secrets of America's most enigmatic predator - the mountain lion. This book recounts the early years of Maurice Hornocker's research (1964-1973) when he tracked lions following a dog's nose and footprints in the snow - before telemetry was available. The narrative is riveting and contrasts the challenges of early field research with today's methods using modern technology. 

Great Reads: 

Path of the Puma: The Remarkable Resilience of the Mountain Lion

Jim Williams new book, Path of the Puma, was published in 2018, and tells the pumas remarkable tale from experience in the Rocky Mountains of North America to their southern most haunts in Patagonia.

Yellowstone Cougar: Ecology before and during wolf restoration. 2019

A seminal study by Toni Ruth, Polly Buotte and Maurice Hornocker that examines the effects of wolf restoration on Yellowstone National Park's cougar population. 

Effects of Hunting on a Puma Population in Colorado. 2021

A ten-year experimental study by Colorado Parks and Wildlife researchers reveals the effects of hunting on a puma population and the implications to wildlife managers.

View the PDF

 

WFA has selected the 2023 scholarship recipient - 

Congratulations to Bárbara Isabela Escobar Anleu!

You can find information on Barbara and her project in the upcoming summer 2023 issue of the Monitor.

For information on applying for the 2024 scholarship, go here >

If you'd like to help support this important program, consider donating. 
To date, WFA has awarded 38 scholarships totalling over $44,000. 

Donate to the WFLS

SAVE THE DATE

Look here for a link to recordings of WFA's 2022 Fall Webinar Series
(coming soon!)

 

WFA hosted a webinar series about wild felid research & conservation in the
Western Hemisphere in fall, 2022.

Our guest speakers were researchers from Latin America that have been supported by WFA’s Scholarships and Grants for their significant projects and initiatives to understand & conserve
wild felid species in their countries.

Hosted by Sandra Ortiz, our former VP of Latin America, we learned about our guest speakers' projects. 
handling a bobcat JOIN the WFA to stay current, support our newsletter, and keep in touch with other wild felid professionals. Consider becoming a REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, or if you are a graduate student, a STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, so that you can help inform the membership about current research, management or conservation actions that affect wild felids. Or you may want to join one of our COMMITTEES. If you want to share something right away, go to our FORUM. Your DONATIONS to our grant and scholarship funds are a great way to support emerging biologists and further our knowledge to aid in wild cat conservation throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

 

 Get Support

If you are a current graduate student, please check out WFA's SCHOLARSHIP page for information on current opportunities. WFA also awards RESEARCH AND ACTION GRANTS when funds become available. WFA has provided $40,000 in grants to a number of worthy projects in the past 5 years. Additionally, WFA soon hopes to begin offering TRAVEL GRANTS to help support students and professionals attend important conferences and workshops.  Andean Mountain Cat

 

 Education & Resources

Lynx Kittens

Keep informed by reading our newsletter,
The Wild Felid Monitor.
Issues come out twice per year, winter & summer. If you want to submit an article or update for an issue, we need them by May 1 (for summer) and October 30 (for winter). 

See our MANAGER'S CORNER to find out how agencies are managing and responding to conflicts with pumas. 

Our LINKS page provides a list of organizations involved with wild felid research, management, education and conservation activities.

 

 America's Cats

Learn about the 12 wild cat species of the Western Hemisphere   WH Felids