Theresa Emminizer - What If Mountain Lions Disappeared?

What Would Happen?

Without plant roots to hold it in place, soil will wash into streams, drying them. As the disappearing plants and shifting soil change the habitat, invasive, or non-native, species can move in. These species can push out native animals and take over.

Facing Danger

Although there are still thousands of mountain lions in the wild, their numbers are dropping. The Florida panther, a kind of mountain lion, has fewer than 160 members left. If action isnt taken soon, their disappearance could create many problems.

You Can Help!

The world needs mountain lions. What can you do to make sure they survive? Share what you know! Be a voice for wildlife. Keeping mountain lions safe means keeping all the plants and animals within their ecosystem safe, too.

GLOSSARY

compete: to try to get something that something else is also trying to get

conflict: a struggle or clash

ecosystem: all the living things in an area

habitat: the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally lives and grows

population: the number of animals of the same kind that live in a place

range: the area where something lives

species: a group of plants or animals that are all of the same kind

survive: to live through something

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Books

Rathburn, Betsy. Mountain Lions. Minneapolis, MN: Bellwether Media Inc., 2018.

Zuchora-Walske, Christine. Mountain Lions. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2015.

Websites

The Humane Society of the United States

humanesociety.org/animals/mountain-lions

Find out how you can help mountain lions.

National Geographic Kids

kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mountain-lion/

Learn more fun facts about mountain lions.

Publishers note to educators and parents: Our editors have carefully reviewed these websites to ensure that they are suitable for students. Many websites change frequently, however, and we cannot guarantee that a sites future contents will continue to meet our high standards of quality and educational value. Be advised that students should be closely supervised whenever they access the internet.

INDEX

bobcats 12, 13

butterflies 14, 15

coyotes 12, 13

dangers 8, 18

deer 10, 14

Florida panther 18, 19

food 10

habitat 6, 8, 16

help 20

invasive species 16

keystone species 10

names 4

people 8

plants 14, 16, 20

populations 14, 18

predators 10, 12

prey 10, 14

range 6, 8

size 4

soil 16

streams 16

vultures 12, 13

Contents

Boldface words appear in the glossary.

Please visit our website, www.garethstevens.com. For a free color catalog of all our high-quality books, call toll free 1-800-542-2595 or fax 1-877-542-2596.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Emminizer, Theresa, author.

Title: What if mountain lions disappeared? / Theresa Emminizer.

Description: New York : Gareth Stevens, [2020] | Series: Life without animals

Identifiers: LCCN 2018059063| ISBN 9781538238141 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781538238165 (library bound) | ISBN 9781538238158 (6 pack)

Subjects: LCSH: Puma--Conservation--Juvenile literature. | Wildlife conservation--Juvenile literature. | Animal ecology--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC QL737.C23 E56 2020 | DDC 333.95/416--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018059063

Published in 2020 by

Gareth Stevens Publishing

111 East 14th Street, Suite 349

New York, NY 10003

Copyright 2020 Gareth Stevens Publishing

Designer: Laura Bowen

Editor: Theresa Emminizer

Photo credits: Cover, p. 1 Rosalie Kreulen/Shutterstock.com; pp. 324 (series art) De-V/Shutterstock.com; p. 5 Baranov E/Shutterstock.com; p. 7 Tier Und Naturfotografie J und C Sohns/Photographers Choice RF/Getty Images; p. 9 Pinkcandy/Shutterstock.com; p. 11 James Michael Kruger/Photographers Choice RF/Getty Images; p. 13 (vultures) Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock.com; p. 13 (coyote) Jukka Jantunen/Shutterstock.com; p. 13 (bobcat) Jack Bell Photography/Shutterstock.com; p. 15 (mountain lion) Charles Krebs/Corbis Documentary/Getty Images; p. 15 (butterfly) Patrick Foto/Shutterstock.com; p. 17 Dennis W Donohue/Shutterstock.com; p. 19 jo Crebbin/Shutterstock.com; p. 21 iva/Shutterstock.com.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Printed in the United States of America

CPSIA compliance information: Batch #CS19GS: For further information contact Gareth Stevens, New York, New York at 1-800-542-2595.

Wonderful Wildcats

Mountain lions go by many names. You might hear them called cougars, pumas, catamounts, or panthers. Weighing up to 220 pounds (100 kg), mountain lions are the largest wildcats in North America. What would happen if these big, powerful animals disappeared?

Home on the Range

Mountain lions live throughout Canada, the United States, and Central and South America in many habitats, including deserts, forests, mountains, and wetlands. They keep to themselves, living within large ranges. An adult males range can cover more than 100 square miles (259 sq km).

What Harms Mountain Lions?

Today, mountain lion habitats are shrinking. New roads and cities are breaking up their ranges. Less space leads to more conflict with people. Every year, more than 3,000 mountain lions are killed. Theyre overhunted and shot by farmers who fear theyll eat their herds.

Why Are They Important?

Mountain lions are a keystone species. This means other animals in their