Mountain
Lion
By
Richard Hannibal, Retired Police Sergeant
In
recent weeks, the media has reported several mountain lion (cougar)
sightings on our Central Coast. There are dozens of sightings each
year, especially in the summer months. The abundance of water and deer
is what draws mountain lions to our urbanized areas. The latest
sightings were in the hills above north Morro Bay, around the 2300
block of Nutmeg Avenue. There have also been sightings in the hills
above Cayucos and the Lodge Hill area of Cambria. The drought has dried
up the normal water sources and neighbors in the area think the cats
are coming down to drink water from horse and cattle troughs.
These
beautiful critters are definitely around. I recall one day on patrol a
couple years ago and saw a mountain lion trotting parallel to me in the
hills above north Morro Bay.
At
one point it ran and I was amazed at its speed. I later learned they
could run 40 to 50-miles-per-hour, jump 18’ high, and as far
as 40 to 45 feet. Obviously there is no outrunning a mountain lion!
The
California Department of Fish and Wildlife consider mountain lions to
be "specially protected mammals." You need good cause and a permit to
kill one, unless of course in self-defense. There are an estimated
4,000 to 6,000 Mountain Lions living in California. They average eight
feet in length, half of which is their long tail. They measure about
two to three feet tall; weigh 115-200 pounds for the male, 65-145
pounds for the female.
A
carnivorous predator, they are one of natures most perfect killing
machines. Their primary prey is black tail deer and will kill and
consume a deer every four to seven days. They generally have no
interest in humans; however, juvenile, sick, injured, and elderly
mountain lions often do not hunt well, and will take any 'hunting
opportunity'as a chance to eat.
Game
Wardens assure us that mountain lion attacks are rare. Your chances of
being hit by lightning are 8,000 times higher than being attacked by a
mountain lion. However, they are everywhere in California and care must
be taken when out of doors. Between 1986 and 2013, there have been
fourteen ‘verified’ human attacks by mountain
lions. Three of these were fatal. Four of the attacks were on children,
ten and younger. Five were on people over fifty-years-old. The victims
were seven males and seven females. There were no attacks in San Luis
Obispo County.
Here
are some suggestions if you live in an area of mountain lion sightings:
•
Avoid hiking or trail running at dawn or dusk when mountain lions are
most active.
• Do
not hike or run trails alone. Hike with a friend.
•
Don't kneel or crouch, if you encounter a mountain lion. You will
resemble a deer, their main diet, and may trigger an attack.
• If
you hike many trails, you may not have known it, but Game Wardens
guaranteeyou have been watched by a mountain lion at one time or
another. Since they are cats, they are very curious and will watch and
study human activity.
•
Don’t leave children or small pets outside alone between dusk
and early morning hours. Keep dogs on verbal or actual leashes when
hiking.
Here
are some tips to protect yourself if you encounter a mountain lion:
•
Make yourself appear as large as possible. Pick up children, leash pets
in, stand close to other adults. Open your jacket. Raise your arms and
slowly wave them.
•
Make noise. Yell, shout, and bang your walking stick against a tree.
Speak slowly, firmly, and loudly to disrupt and discourage predatory
behavior.
•
Act like a predator. Maintain eye contact. Never run past or from a
mountain lion. Never bend over or crouch down. Aggressively wave your
raised arms, throw stones or branches without turning away.
•
Slowly create distance. Consider whether you may be between the lion
and its young, or between the lion and food. Without turning around,
back slowly to a spot that gives the mountain lion a path to get away.
•
Protect yourself. If attacked, fight back. Protect your neck and throat.
The paw of a mountain lion for footprint comparison.
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