Monica Morrison is the founder of Texas Native Cats, an organization that provides educational presentations to groups in Texas about the five species of exotic cats that call or have called Texas home. Many people are unaware of the great diversity of our felines, their habitat, physical characteristics, threats they face, and the importance they play in maintaining Nature’s health and diversity. In a state that has seen explosive human population growth, this native Texan presents the cats’ struggle to cope with human influence and gives a voice to these amazing animals.

Experience

• Texas Master Naturalist (class of 2012)
• 15+ years working with exotic cats, in captivity and in the wild
• Volunteer at In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center in Wylie, Texas
• Former volunteer at International Exotic Feline Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas
• Volunteer member of wildlife research expeditions focusing on cats in Mexico and Kenya
• Collaborator on jaguar projects in Arizona and Brazil and a wildlife protection group in Bolivia
• Participant in Mountain Lion Workshops (2008 and 2014) and two wildlife/big cat conferences
• Presented Texas Native Cats to schools, Texas Master Naturalists, Dallas and El Paso zookeepers, and the general public, ranging from 12 to 100 attendees
• Former Dallas Zoo volunteer/tiger docent

Education and Professional Organizations

• Master of Liberal Arts, Southern Methodist University
• Bachelor of Business Administration, UT El Paso
• Member, Wild Felid Association
• Partners in Conservation, World Wildlife Fund
• Institutional Official, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center

Monica continues her focus on Texas Native Cats, with plans for more presentations not only in the DFW area, but also in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston, to name some of the cities. Additionally, she now has dedicated volunteers that she is educating about Texas cats, and they will eventually give presentations as well. Her goal is to expand educational outreach to the major metropolitan areas of the state and, ultimately, to improve the lives of these Texas icons.