His Story

Cliff was born in Minnesota but moved to California when he was only six weeks old. When he arrived at Wildworks he was a feisty, spotted bundle of fur and during his first year growing up, Cliff traveled to schools and numerous other venues working with us to teach people about mountain lions. Because of their shy and elusive nature, mountain lions are rarely seen. Viewing Cliff at close range enabled his audiences to identify the species and dispel inappropriate fears about this top predator. He also joined our cast of local animals as a participant in our On the Edge-Living with Wildlife presentations, helping to educate people about coexisting with neighborhood wildlife.

Cliff played the starring role in our music video The Wild Hills of Home, which was filmed during his first year at Wildworks. (Click here to purchase the DVD) He traveled with Mollie to Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks and park sites in the Santa Monica Mountains to capture footage of a young mountain lion romping, climbing trees, and exploring mountain lion habitats. Now a beautiful adult, Cliff safely resides in his enclosure at Wildworks where he stalks and romps and rests on his shelf still overlooking “The Wild Hills of Home.” His video is available on our web site.

Cliff the mountain lion enjoys some garlic seasoning that was sprinkled around his enclosure (and if you listen closely, you may even be able to hear him purring!). Most of the felines at Wildworks love to rub on a variety of scents, including cinnamon, chili powder, and sometimes even scents that other animals have left behind!