Proceedings of the Ninth Mountain Lion Workshop - Carnivore ...

going. By presenting ideas that may be in-progress, the writer takes the risk rather than
the researcher.
An example: as a result of the trust established in our collaboration, Gary Koehler and
Ben Maletzke told me about their recent observations that indicate mountain lions have a
matrilineal society. I asked them if I could write an article about their on-going research
and they agreed. I approached my editor at Wildlife Conservation Magazine and she
accepted the story. Thus by selecting both writer and journal, the biologists were able to
target their audience and thereby make certain accurate science was included in the story.
Too often the public misunderstands issues facing major carnivores, because a story
without scientist input suddenly appears in the media.
Beyond reporting research findings and work-in-progress, writers can also weave in
cultural and historical details that give context as to how an animal is perceived.
In India David Quammen worked with biologist Ravi Chellam. In his book, Monster of
God, Quammen writes about the lions of Gir. In this region, the Maldhari are the folks
who take care of livestock…
“They don’t own guns. Their battles with the lions approximate hand-tohand
combat. Not safari hunting. Not varmint eradication. Their chief
weapon, the kuwadi, is barely more than a short-handled hoe… Rarely
does a herder get hurt. Part of being a Maldhari is coping routinely with
lions through the use of caution, bluff, and an occasional kuwadi-thunk on
the skull.”
For her book, Spell of the Tiger, author Sy Montgomery worked with biologist
Rathin (Row-teen) Banerjee in Sundarbans (Shunderbun), a giant mangrove swamp
formed by the Ganges River as it winds its way into the Bay of Bengal.
“People there have learned how to live in the one area where tigers have
clearly demonstrated humans are on their food list. It is through their
mythology that some people have learned to co-exist with tigers.
Montgomery spoke with a man who had lost both friends and relatives to
the tigers. When she asked, “Why not kill all the tigers?” he replied, “To
save the earth…” He then explained “…inside the forest of Sundarbans is
very costly wood…if the forest is destroyed, the water will wash away the
land. It is the work of the tiger to save it. The tigers are our kin, our
teachers, and our guardians.” Biologist Banerjee explained, “The tiger is
silently doing the work of ecodiscipline.”
By weaving science into a story with both historical and cultural context, an evolution in
perspective can occur.
Never Cry Wolf, by Farley Mowat, is an example of a story that changed the way a
predator is perceived by the public.
From stories, a synergy can begin. In her books, Singing to the Sound and Sightings,
Proceedings of the Ninth Mountain Lion Workshop
194