Final answer:
The most natural setting for a cougar is the mountain forest on the edge of Coquitlam as it most closely represents their unfenced, natural habitat.
Step-by-step explanation:
The presence of cougars in various environments raises questions about where they fit most naturally within an ecosystem. The options include a cougar in downtown Coquitlam, a cougar in the mountain forest on the edge of Coquitlam, a cougar in a 1,000-ha national park, and a cougar in a 100,000-ha, fenced national park. Consideration of a cougar's natural habitat and ecological role leads to the conclusion that option 2) a cougar in the mountain forest on the edge of Coquitlam is the most natural setting. This is because cougars are native to diverse habitats including forests, and thus a mountain forest would most closely resemble their natural, unfenced, expansive habitat where they could roam freely and play their ecological role as apex predators. These predators, like cougars, maintain the balance of ecosystems as seen in other instances; for example, the decline of cougars in Utah caused an overpopulation of deer, which impacted local vegetation and altered stream paths, reducing biodiversity.