What to do if you come face-to-face with a cougar. First, don’t run
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Cougar attacks are rare. More rare than being struck by lightning.
According to a study of roughly 400 human-cougar encounters over the last four decades, about 4 to 6 cougar (aka mountain lion) attacks happen across the U.S. and Canada each year. And most attack victims survive.
Utah cougar’s 1,000-mile adventure involved crossing I-80 twice, swimming across reservoir
In comparison, lightning strikes are much more common. The National Weather Service says about 20 people die in the U.S. each year from lightning strikes, with hundreds more injured.
Still, Utah is cougar country, and as summer approaches, state wildlife officials want you to know what to do if you see one on your doorbell camera or come face-to-face with one on the hiking trail.
Face-to-Face
Faith Heaton Jolley, spokesperson for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said that if you have a face-to-face encounter with a cougar, don’t try to run.
“That sometimes can trigger its natural instinct to chase,” she said.
Instead, you should stand up tall, make yourself appear threatening and talk loudly. If you have children or a pet, hold them close.
Next, back away slowly while keeping eye contact with the animal. If it pounces, fight back.
“Use whatever you’ve got near you … sticks, rocks, whatever it may be,” Heaton Jolley said.
In recent years, people in Utah have been attacked by cougars, she noted. However, none of them resulted in death.
Don’t go alone
Many of the recent cougar attacks in Utah happened with people hiking or mountain biking alone.
“Most of the incidents we see are someone startling a cougar or getting too close to their kittens,” Heaton Jolley said.
To avoid this scenario, wildlife officials say you should always head out into the mountains with at least one other person and stay close to them. Dogs should be kept on a leash.
If you or your group finds a deer or elk carcass, get out of the area, as it could be a cougar kill.
Living in cougar habitat
Utahns who live in the canyons or mountain areas shouldn’t let their children or pets outside alone at night or during dawn or dusk.
According to Heaton Jolley, there have been recent incidents of dogs being attacked when they are let outside in the evening and early morning hours.
“Some of them have been killed, some of them have been severely injured,” she said.
Ways to help your pet include keeping them inside at night or securing them in an outdoor kennel or barn with a top.
To discourage cougars from lurking around, canyon homeowners are advised to trim vegetation and keep wood or rock piles small. This will give the big cats fewer places to hide.
Another option, according to wildlife officials, is installing motion-sensitive lights.
When to report cougars
Because Utah’s urban areas are increasingly expanding into cougar habitat, sightings are becoming more common.
The prevalence of home security cameras has also led to a boost in sightings, Heaton Jolley said.
Still, not all sightings need to be reported to wildlife officials.
For instance, if you see a cougar on your doorbell camera, you probably don’t need to report it, unless it happens repeatedly.
On the other hand, you’ll want to report a cougar if they’ve killed something on your property or they exhibit aggressive behavior.
“Any indications, basically, where they are staying in an area,” Heaton Jolley said. “That is something that we’d like people to report to us.”
For more tips on dealing with cougars, head to the DWR’s “Wild Aware Utah” page.
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