California’s pumas are being driven towards extinction. These wide-ranging predators face many threats from humans. Poorly planned roads and development have fragmented the landscape, dividing pumas into isolated subpopulations and leading to high levels of inbreeding. Puma mortalities due to car strikes, rat poisons, disease, and retaliation for preying on pets or farm animals are common while wildfire and climate change present ongoing and intensifying threats. If we want pumas to thrive in our changing landscapes for generations to come, we must adapt our behaviors and infrastructure to safely coexist with this iconic species. The Center for Biological Diversity’s Urban Wildlands Program advocates to protect pumas and improve wildlife connectivity by pushing back against poorly planned sprawl development with environmental laws, sponsoring science-driven conservation policies that improve wildlife connectivity and restrict rat poisons, and spreading the word about puma conservation. To engage a broader audience with the science of puma ecology and conservation, I released a graphic novel, Tales of the Urban Wild: A Puma’s Journey, in October 2023. Using science, policy, and art, we highlight the challenges that pumas and other wildlife face and demonstrate how we can safely coexist to ensure the state’s rich biodiversity thrives.