The purpose of this website is to provide information about conserving large, apex predators in North America. Apex predators, also known as top predators or alpha predators, have no natural predators and reside at the top of the food chain in their respective ecosystems. As a result, the impacts of these species on all trophic interactions in their range are far reaching. In North America, these predators generally tend to be large mammals (though there are bird species that are also apex predators, such as eagles, this website will focus principally on mammals) with equally large ranges. Some examples are Gray Wolves, Black Bears, Grizzly Bears, and Cougars.

Conserving such large mammals can be a daunting task from both a scientific and a public relations perspective. Ecologically, these species require large undisturbed habitats, have relatively long generation times, and are sparsely distributed across their range, making data collection an intensive process. Management of such large animals also requires public input, which on the one hand wants to preserve these iconic animals, but is also often concerned about public safety, wildlife/human confrontations and issues like livestock predation. Conservation of apex predators is a multifaceted issue that will need to take input from many sectors to be successful.