Lions, Leopards, and Pumas (Oh My!) - Chris Wilmers to talk at the Rio Theatre on May 18

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History invites the community to attend a lecture by Chris Wilmers at the Rio Theatre on three of the world’s Big Cats: Lions, Leopards, and Pumas.

While large carnivores have declined throughout the world, they are making a recovery in many parts of North America but are going extinct throughout much of Africa. How can science help? Chris Wilmers will explore this question and others in the context of his research on mountain lions locally and on leopards and lions in Kenya.

Chris Wilmers is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz. His research explores the impacts of human development on large predators such as mountain lions, wolves, lions, bears and leopards. In addition, he is the founder and lead investigator of the Santa Cruz Puma Project, a research collaboration between the University of California at Santa Cruz and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who have, since 2008, been tracking and monitoring pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Chris Wilmers’ unique presentation will occur at the Rio Theatre, which is located at 1205 Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz, on Wednesday May 18th from 7:30p.m­. - 9:00p.m. Registration for the lecture is $6 for Museum Members/$12 general, and guests are encouraged to sign up in advance at santacruzmuseum.org or by calling 831-­420­-6115.