Ghostwalker: Tracking a Mountain Lion's Soul Through Science and Story

What does it feel like to be a mountain lion? Ghostwalker aims to empower the reader with that kind of knowledge. When the author encounters mountain lion tracks near her home outside Yellowstone National Park, she begins a journey to learn about these elusive, unseen animals. Personal tracking stories provide a framework as the author delves deeper into the heart of lions. What is the impact of hunting mountain lions? What happens when wolves and grizzly bears are added to the mix of top predators? How do mountain lions navigate urban-wildlife interfaces? To answer these questions, Patten interviews biologists working in Yellowstone National Park, Panthera's Jackson Teton Study, and various studies around the San Francisco Bay Area. She also conducts dozens of interviews with professional trackers, houndsmen, as well as spokesmen from the Mountain Lion Foundation and The Cougar Fund. Patten explores the ancient lore­--who is the cougar that is the "Sasquatch" of Mexico--and learns how to successfully trail mountain lions to obtain amazing photos. Travel along with the author as she discovers the secret lives of America's largest wild feline.

Leslie Patten has an extensive background in horticulture, along with a life-long interest in the natural world. She is the author of The Wild Excellence: Notes from Untamed America and BioCircuits: Amazing New Tools for Energy Health as well as several eBooks on gardening. She presently lives in a small cabin in northwest Wyoming.