How to be aware and stay safe while recreating in mountain lion country
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Thu, 03/28/2024 - 10:05am
Recently, a terrible incident in Eastern California left one man dead and another injured following a mountain lion attack. This has led to concern throughout mountain lion country on whether or not its safe to recreate. While mountain lion attacks are few and far between, there are a number of ways to stay safe and aware.
According to Ashley Zeme of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Northern Nevada is prime mountain lion habitat.
"Anywhere where there is deer, there will be mountain lions," Zeme said. "Not only do we have deer, but we have a lot of other small mammals that they prey on, and rocky, forested terrain which is exactly the habitat that mountain lions prefer."
However, Zeme said, encounters with mountain lions are rare, and the risk of an attack is extremely small.
"They are solitary animals and tend to avoid areas with human activity. Occasionally they will be spotted passing through the outskirts of urban areas where food is readily available. When this happens, in most cases they are just passing through searching for easy food during the early morning hours or late at night when people are not active."
Unlike bears and other wildlife, mountain lion aren't limited to a set breeding season, and therefore don't have behavior specific to early spring. However, this is the time that people are starting to recreate after the winter, which is why it's important to be aware and know what steps to take if you encounter a mountain lion in the wild.
"It’s also important that people take steps to reduce the risk of conflicts with mountain lions near or on their property," Zeme said. You can find all of this information here: Living With Mountain Lions - Nevada Wildlife (ndow.org)
Zeme said, in the rare event of an attack: ALWAYS FIGHT BACK. Stand your ground. Turning your back and running can trigger a mountain lion’s predator instinct, and you will not outrun a mountain lion. Your best chance at survival is fighting back. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools, and their bare hands successfully. Use anything on or around you as a weapon and do your best to remain standing. Mountain lions usually attack by biting the neck or head, so do all you can to protect these areas. If you have a backpack, try to position it to serve as body armor or a shield. When safe to do so, call 9-1-1.
"With all of this said, human and mountain lion conflicts are extremely rare, and taking the proper precautions will help prevent conflicts that may arise," Zeme said. "Learning how to interact with mountain lions is an important step in making sure Nevada and our wildlife stay safe."
If you see a mountain lion in a residential area, report it to the Nevada Department of Wildlife dispatch line at (775) 688-1331.
