MountainLion_Lauren_Morrison_Monica_DallasTX_20October2022_Reel4133.mp3

Monica Morrison [00:00:00] So, "Lauren", I named her after a friend of mine, and Lauren is a full-size mountain lion cutout.

Monica Morrison [00:00:08] At some point, I will get a taxidermied mountain lion, perhaps, if I can figure out where the heck to store it, because I will tell you, at outreach events, there's nothing better than a taxidermied cat. Like, I have a taxidermied bobcat, and it is a magnet.

Monica Morrison [00:00:24] But Lauren is my second best to do that, having a taxidermy at this point. And so Lauren is a full-sized, as I said, and she sits behind me and peers over my shoulder as I'm sitting here on my computer, which I am part of the day.

Monica Morrison [00:00:39] And, you know, at times if I'm feeling frustrated, or I have moments of hesitation, whatever it is, I turn around and I look at that cat, and she looks back at me and I say, "Okay, okay, I'm back on it. Don't worry, I'm not giving up any of those right now".

Monica Morrison [00:00:55] So, she is truly part of my inspiration for doing this. She keeps me focused.

Monica Morrison [00:01:03] Our cat means change. I think our cat needs to survive.

Monica Morrison [00:01:10] And, as I say, to me, she's, she's just one representative of what I feel is so important in working toward a change for our mountain lion in the state. So, she is, as I say, she is, she's part of my motivation here.

Monica Morrison [00:01:32] Bottom line is I want to make a difference. I know we hear that from a lot of people, and different ways of approaching that.

Monica Morrison [00:01:38] But, for me, this is what, what drives me right now.

Monica Morrison [00:01:45] And, I will tell you, I sometimes jokingly tell people I should go back to my day job that I had, because, frankly, I don't think I worked as hard at that as I am with, with this non-paying cat job.

Monica Morrison [00:02:00] But, as I said, that needs to change in this state. The cat needs to survive.

Monica Morrison [00:02:07] And this, this question or questions of, "Why?", "Why not?", "Why not me?", "Why not now?", that's what has, that's what has pushed me.

Monica Morrison [00:02:21] And, frankly, it's time to manage mountain lions in Texas. And I want to see this through to the end, whatever the end ends up being.