A Mountain Lion Named Squeak, and His Journey

A very-surprising Facebook post about a mountain lion born near Albuquerque that migrated up to Mesa Verde National Park:

For those of you interested in Squeaks, the sub-adult male mountain lion GPS-collared on Tamaya in early February 2020, we are happy to report that he appears to be doing quite well. He was born at the confluence of the Rio Grande and Rio Jemez on Tamaya in October 2018 and dispersed from his natal range in July 2020. His travels took him on a long-distance voyage across two states in search of a new home, and, as of today, his collar has collected 5,146 locations which span approximately 1,380 miles. Our good friends at Mesa Verde National Park recently picked him up on camera--his kitten spots have since faded, but we are glad to know that this nearly 3-year-old male has finally found his home in the beautiful Ute Mountain Ute-Mesa Verde National Park area. From one tribe's land to another, Squeaks' journey exemplifies the importance of maintaining wildlife connectivity across the West and beyond.