A camera inside the Whitewater Preserve recorded a mountain lion out for a stroll this week and, OMG, a freakin’ Mountain Lion!!! In all seriousness, officials say that the possibility of running into a Mountain Lion while out on a hike is rare, there are some things you should do.
But, before we get to that, let’s check out the video that was recorded on a remote trail camera:
It’s cool to watch, but, yeah, that would be utterly terrifying to see in person, so, if you should happen into a Mountain Lion on a trail, the Facebook page for the Preserve posted what you should do:
STOP, do not run!
Maintain eye contact
Stand tall and look large
Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly
Throw items if necessary
Give them room and time to move on
In the rare event of an attack, fight back!
You should probably go ahead and practice this right now. Wherever you are. Yeah, I don’t care if you are at work or the library. Do it!!!
Officials say that “Mountain Lion encounters can further be avoided by not hiking alone, not hiking between dusk and dawn, not using headphones while hiking, and keeping dogs on leash and small children close at all times.”
They also remind that, “Mountain Lions are highly important to maintaining a healthy ecosystem and we hope to always catch glimpses of them on our remote trail cameras.”
