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Conservationists like Frank and Ginsberg and many others have become convinced that the only way to forestall this disaster is to use new strategies that go beyond setting up sanctuaries. Perilous though it may sound, these strategies involve allowing lions, tigers and other big cats to live--or at least pass--among us. Scientists are moving toward a new model of mixed landscapes in which big cats would move from core protected areas through land shared with humans--tea plantations in India, ranchland in Laikipia or, in the case of the cougar (a.k.a. mountain lion), suburban parks in California--giving them more space to hunt and disperse their genes. "We need to think big, to save entire landscapes," says Alan Rabinowitz, director of science and exploration for the W.C.S. "They may not all be areas where big cats can live, but they are areas big cats can use."
Despite the man-eating lore and the big headlines that follow attacks by tigers or lions that are kept as pets or performers, wild cats are generally able to live in close proximity to humans without disturbing them. Leopards are seen in the suburbs of Nairobi and Kampala. Mountain lions in Waterton, Alta., have been observed using the angles of buildings and even the beds of pickup trucks to conceal themselves when hunting. In the San Diego area, these animals tend to hang out within 100 yds. of trails used by hikers, though they are rarely noticed, according to a study of radio-collared cougars conducted by researchers at the University of California at Davis. "They do a remarkable job of keeping away from humans," says biologist Walter Boyce, who led the study.
Around the world, the incidence of big-cat attacks on people is low compared with other natural perils. In India, tigers kill 30 to 40 people annually, while 20,000 Indians die each year from snakebites. Jaguars, cheetahs, snow leopards and clouded leopards have never been known to attack humans. In the U.S., 17 people have died from mountain lion attacks over the past 100 years; many more are killed by lightning in a single year. This year, however, California has had three attacks by mountain lions on humans--one fatal. All involved hikers or bikers in cougar country; their rapid movements were probably triggers for attack. Says Boyce: "It is simply humans being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Wild felines don't hesitate to attack livestock and pets, and unless those costs are addressed, people will continue to kill the cats. That's why Mugie's lions must earn their keep. "The great tragedy here is that wildlife has absolutely no value except in national parks," says Frank. "To many Africans, lions are simply pests."
Saving cats in an ever more crowded world is a complicated task. Scientists have devised what Rabinowitz calls a "toolbox of strategies" to deal with threatened cats in different parts of the world. Here are some of the tools that offer the most promise:
PATCHING HOLES IN HABITATS