Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream with KPBS+ Encores Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. on KPBS TV and 8 p.m. on KPBS 2
In Montana, a decade-long study reveals the secret lives of mountain lions captured through a vast network of over 200 trail cameras scattered throughout the Sapphire Mountains.
Follow the drama of an orphaned female mountain lion named Willow and her cubs and witness their interactions with the rest of the forest world, uncovering never-before-seen behaviors in NATURE "Willow: Diary of a Mountain."
Through thousands of hours of footage, research and genetic sampling, the film captures extraordinary firsts: a mother raising six kittens against the odds, resource sharing by unrelated individuals, and an astounding bull elk kill at the entrance of the mountain lions‘ den. Alongside these milestones, parallel stories unfold—like a fox family with five pups whose den comes under attack by a mountain lion, leaving behind a one-eyed survivor.
“One of the most significant findings of the research has been the indication, through DNA samples, of resource sharing by unrelated individuals. This is the only footage, of any kind, that currently exists of this behavior among wild, uncollared cats. This adds legitimacy to the science and a great climax to the story,” said Colin Ruggiero, producer and director of photography.
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Credits: A production of Rhythm Productions and The WNET Group. The documentary is produced and filmed by Colin Ruggiero. Edited by Colin Ruggiero and Jim Isler. Features Joshua Lisbon, former MPG Mountain Lion Research Coordinator, and Mountain Lion Research Team trackers Maggie Hirschauer and Tyler Carlin. For NATURE, Fred Kaufman is executive producer. Bill Murphy is series producer. Janet Hess is series editor. NATURE is a production of The WNET Group.
