
People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. What you want to do is convince the lion you are not prey and that you may in fact be a danger to the lion.
If the lion behaves aggressively, throw stones, branches or whatever you can get your hands on without crouching down or turning your back. If you have small children with you, protect them by picking them up so they won't panic and run. Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Running may stimulate a lion's instinct to chase and attack. Stop or back away slowly, if you can do it safely. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Do not approach a lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Talk with children about lions and teach them what to do if they meet one. Make sure children are close to you and within your sight at all times. A sturdy walking stick is a good idea it can be used to ward off a lion. When you walk or hike in mountain lion country, go in groups and make plenty of noise to reduce your chances of surprising a lion. Young lions, perhaps forced out to hunt on their own, may key in on easy prey, like pets and small children. It helps wildlife managers alerting the public of activity and gives us a chance to help reduce conflicts – whether that be with landowners who have livestock, pet owners, or people recreating in lion country.Human encounters with mountain lions have increased in recent years,as human settlement has encroached on lion habitat. If it is outside of regular business hours and just a sighting – there is no aggression, unusual behavior, or threats to livestock or the public – then they instruct the public to report those during normal business hours to their local CPW office.Ĭlay says, “We track all bear and mountain lion sightings and that data is important to wildlife managers, but it is also important for the local wildlife officers to have the pulse of mountain lion activity in their area. to 5 p.m., or Colorado State Patrol (30) if it is outside of regular business hours and requires an urgent response from a wildlife officer. Mountain lion sightings should be reported to Colorado Parks and Wildlife by calling your local CPW office (97 for Fort Collins), Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, jackets, keys, backpacks, and their bare hands successfully. If the lion behaves aggressively, throw stones, branches, or whatever you can get your hands on without crouching down or turning your back. If you have small children with you, protect them by picking them up so they won’t panic and run. Unleashed dogs are at greater risk of negative interactions with lions. Make sure you have your pet on a leash. Do all you can to appear larger by raising your arms or opening your jacket if you are wearing one. Back away slowly if you can while still facing it.
Stay calm, face the lion, and talk calmly and firmly to it.Stop, do not approach the lion, and do not run.
If you were to encounter a mountain lion while on a walk with your pet, what should you do? According to Clay people rarely get more than a brief glimpse of a mountain lion in the wild, but if you do: Prevention is far better than a possible lion confrontation. Encourage your neighbors to follow these simple precautions.Close doors to all outbuildings since inquisitive lions may go inside for a look. Place livestock in enclosed sheds or barns at night.Monitor your pets when they may be out during the day using the bathroom.
Don’t feed pets outside this can attract raccoons and other animals that are eaten by lions. If you leave your pet outside, keep them in a kennel with a secure top. Roaming pets are easy prey and can attract lions.
Planting non-native shrubs and plants that deer often prefer to eat encourages wildlife to come onto your property. Make it difficult for lions to approach unseen. Landscape or remove vegetation to eliminate hiding places for lions. Light areas where you walk so you could see a lion if one were present. Make lots of noise if you come and go from dusk to dawn – the time’s mountain lions are most active. According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, here are some tips to help protect your pets: “We can live with these incredible animals if we respect mountain lions and their habitat,” says Jason Clay with Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Domestic cats and dogs can be easy prey for these animals, but there are actions you can take to help protect them. Recently in northern Colorado, there has been an increase in mountain lion sightings throughout the region.