Explore the role of Canadian wild cats in their ecosystems. Often overlooked in favour of their larger cousins in other regions, Canada is home to three wild cat species: Bobcat, Canada Lynx, and Cougar. Join mammalogist Burton Lim and wildlife biologist Sara Jordan-McLachlan for a virtual event that takes a closer look at the lives – and vulnerabilities – of these majestic animals. Learn more about how they interact with human populations across the country and explore how we can change our behaviours to ensure that they can safely exist – both in the wild and in urban environments – with our ever-growing human populations.

Speakers: 

Sara Jordan-McLachlan

Sara Jordan-McLachlan is a wildlife biologist based in Calgary, Alberta. A lover of wild cats from a young age, she had the opportunity to work on the Central East Slopes Cougar Study in Western Alberta after completing her BSc in Zoology. Sara has since been part of other carnivore studies in the Rockies and Cascade mountains, and has worked in wildlife rehabilitation and animal welfare. Sara recently turned her focus to urban wildlife and understanding how wildlife navigates through – and co-exists in – the urban landscape.

She currently works as a Conservation Analyst for the Miistakis Institute for the Rockies, and is a naturalist with the Weaselhead/Glenmore Park Preservation Society. Jordan McLachlan is a member of the City of Calgary’s BiodiverCity Advisory Committee, and is the Western Canada representative for the Wild Felid Research and Management Associations, in addition to the International Society for Endangered Cats, and the Alberta Chapter of the Wildlife Society. 

Burton Lim

Dr. Burton Lim is Assistant Curator in the Department of Natural History at ROM, where his research focuses on mammalian evolution and biodiversity, with an emphasis on bats. He holds a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Toronto, and his science communication stories have appeared in newspapers including the National Post, Globe and Mail, and Toronto Star. 

Recorded June 19, 2024