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Big cats used to roam the entire United States. You might know them as mountain lions, pumas, cougars, or catamounts. Though they go by many names, they’re actually all the same species.
Their current population is mostly confined to the West, and part of Florida, though in recent years they’ve been spotted in other areas east of the Mississippi River. Most cougars were gone from the Northeast by the 1800s, with the last verified accounts in the 1930s.
Mountain lion ecologist Mark Elbroch hopes to reintroduce these big cats back into their previous habitats in New England. But, should we? What are the benefits and drawbacks of reintroducing the apex predator into an ecosystem it’s been away from for so long?
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Segment Guests
Mark Elbroch
Dr. Mark Elbroch is the director of the puma program at Panthera, a big cat conservation organization.
Segment Transcript
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About Jane Lindholm
Jane Lindholm is the host, executive producer and creator of “But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids.” She also produces special projects for Vermont Public and was previously host and editor of “Vermont Edition.”
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Shoshannah Buxbaum is a producer for Science Friday. She’s particularly drawn to stories about health, psychology, and the environment. She’s a proud New Jersey native and will happily share her opinions on why the state is deserving of a little more love.