Travel back in time to explore the powerful apex predators that once ruled Illinois' prairies and woodlands. Environmental educator Jerry Attere highlights the fascinating natural histories of black bears, cougars, and gray wolves explaining how they lived, hunted, shaped their ecosystems, and ultimately disappeared from Illinois. Discover why these top predators were extirpated, and what their absence means for today's landscapes. Occasionally there are even modern sightings of these animals.