What Mountain Lion Foundation does

The Mountain Lion Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Concord, California, founded in the mid-1980s (conflicting sources cite 1986, 1987, and 1988; EIN 94-3015360). Its mission is the protection of mountain lions (pumas/cougars) and their habitats across the 15 western U.S. states and the Florida panther population. The organization operates a portfolio of advocacy, education, and direct conservation programs, including the Puma Protectors recurring donor program, the Living with Lions webinar series, the Cougars and Climate initiative, and a State-by-State Conservation program targeting habitat and species protections across its geographic scope.

The Foundation's core product is policy and advocacy work rather than a commercial technology platform. Its most consequential historical outcome was an instrumental role in the passage of the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990, which banned cougar sport hunting and secured $30 million per year for 30 years in dedicated conservation funding. More recently, in February 2026, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to grant Threatened Status to mountain lions under the state Endangered Species Act, a major regulatory milestone that extends new protections to the species.

The business model is nonprofit donation-based. Revenue is generated primarily through individual giving via the Puma Protectors recurring donation program and Legacy Giving, with no disclosed revenue figures, major institutional funders, or corporate sponsors identified in the input. The organization operates with a small staff of 1–10 employees. In November 2025, it appointed Ellen C. O'Connell as Executive Director and Dr. Byron Weckworth (formerly of Panthera) as Chief Conservation & Advocacy Officer, signaling renewed leadership investment. No AI/ML, proprietary software, or commercial technology products are disclosed.

Name

Mountain Lion Foundation

Legal name

Mountain Lion Foundation

Website

https://mountainlion.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Mountain Lion Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advocates for the protection of mountain lions and their habitats across 15 western U.S. states and Florida, funded primarily by individual donations via its Puma Protectors program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Habitat protection
• Carnivore conservation
• Environmental advocacy
• Nonprofit conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Concord

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Mountain Lion Foundation operates as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Federal I.D. EIN # 94-3015360). Revenue is generated through tax-deductible donations from individual supporters, including programs such as Puma Protectors recurring donations and Legacy Giving planned gifts.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mountain Lion Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that protects mountain lions and their habitats through science-based conservation programs, wildlife protection advocacy, and community education. Its core offerings include conservation and habitat protection campaigns (e.g., California threatened status work), educational resources (the 'Cougar: The American Lion' book, children's materials, Living with Lions webinars), donation programs (Puma Protectors recurring giving, Legacy Giving planned gifts), and Take Action advocacy tools (sighting reports, action alerts).

Product overview

The Mountain Lion Foundation operates as a nonprofit conservation organization offering a unified set of programs focused on protecting America's mountain lions. The organization combines advocacy, education, and community action through products including conservation programs, educational resources (the 'Cougar: The American Lion' book, children's materials, webinars), Take Action campaigns (sighting reports, advocacy alerts), the Puma Protectors giving program, and the Cougars and Climate initiative. These offerings work together to advance the foundation's mission of protecting mountain lions through science, compassion, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• The California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 secured $30 million per year for 30 years ($900 million total) for wildlife habitat conservation.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation: The National Wildlife Federation is one of the largest U.S. wildlife conservation nonprofits, with a broad mission across many species and habitats. It is comparable to MLF as a broader incumbent that also runs advocacy, education, and policy campaigns affecting carnivore protection, but operates at a much larger scale and across all U.S. wildlife.
• Conservation International: Conservation International is a large nonprofit focused on biodiversity protection, climate, and sustainable development globally. It is comparable to MLF as a broader environmental incumbent that engages in species and habitat conservation, though its scope extends well beyond single-species carnivore advocacy.
• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): HSUS is a large U.S. animal welfare and wildlife protection nonprofit with policy, advocacy, and education programs. It is comparable to MLF because both organizations engage in wildlife policy advocacy and public education in the United States, though HSUS operates at much larger scale across many animal welfare issues.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF-US): WWF-US is the U.S. arm of a global conservation nonprofit working on species, habitats, and climate. It is comparable to MLF because both organizations protect wild cat populations and habitats, but WWF operates at significantly greater scale across many species and geographies worldwide.

Direct peers

• WildEarth Guardians: WildEarth Guardians is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects wildlife and wildlands through legal advocacy, policy work, and on-the-ground projects in the American West. It is comparable to MLF because both organizations operate in western U.S. geographies, focus on imperiled wildlife including carnivores, and emphasize policy and legal advocacy as primary tools.
• Defenders of Wildlife: Defenders of Wildlife is a U.S.-focused nonprofit that advocates for the protection of imperiled wildlife and habitat through policy, litigation, and education. It is comparable to MLF because both organizations use science-based advocacy and policy campaigns to protect native carnivores and their habitats in the United States.
• Panthera: Panthera is the leading nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of wild cats worldwide, including cougars. It is the most directly comparable peer to Mountain Lion Foundation because both organizations focus on big cat species conservation through science, advocacy, and field programs, and MLF's incoming Chief Conservation Officer Byron Weckworth, Ph.D. joins from Panthera.
• Center for Biological Diversity: The Center for Biological Diversity is a nonprofit that uses scientific advocacy, legal action, and grassroots organizing to protect endangered species and wild places. It is comparable to MLF because both organizations rely heavily on policy advocacy, regulatory petitions, and litigation to advance wildlife protections, including for imperiled carnivores.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): IFAW is an international nonprofit that rescues and protects animals, including wild cats, through advocacy, field programs, and policy work. It is comparable to MLF because both organizations combine advocacy, education, and field-based conservation to protect wild carnivore populations and their habitats.

Emerging players

• Tusk Conservation: Tusk is a nonprofit focused on African wildlife conservation, including large carnivores such as lions and leopards. It is comparable to MLF because both organizations are species-focused carnivore conservation nonprofits combining advocacy, community engagement, and field conservation, though Tusk operates across Africa rather than the Americas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=6ZQQqy4J_XA&feature=emb_title
• Xx.com/mtnlionfdn
• Facebookfacebook.com/MountainLionFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mountainlion-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mountain Lion Foundation