Living with Lions Webinar - Storytelling for Mountain Lions

Mountain lion petroglyph at Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark, Arizona. Credit: Petrified Forest National Park, National Park Service

Storytelling for Mountain Lions with Katie Dolan

Wednesday, February 19 at 12pm PT via Zoom

A Zimbabwean proverb claims, “Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” The lion – whether an African or an American Mountain Lion – needs talented storytellers to counteract entrenched cultural fears about large predators and explain the ecological importance of these enigmatic creatures. This webinar will discuss the science of storytelling, what makes an effective story, and how great stories can have an impact. A mountain lion’s story includes roles as a family member, a parent, an elusive beauty, a creature glimpsed on a quest, a talented hunter, an ecological engineer, a healer, a celebrity, and a cat who loves catnip. The adaptable animal is simply trying to get by in an increasingly crowded world -- join us to hear Katie's fascinating advice on sharing compelling stories about mountain lions.

THE SPEAKER

Katie Dolan is a author, conservationist, and wildlife advocate. She is a trustee of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Chair of the board of The Nature Conservancy in Rhode Island, and an active volunteer with Colorado efforts to protect cougars. She retired from non-profit management, having served as Executive Director of a community hospital and a Nature Conservancy chapter. Katie teaches Conservation Storytelling at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and authored the Bella, the Wildlife Ambassador series, including one about cougar conservation.