SONOMA COUNTY, California — This chilling video from the Mayacamas Mountains in Sonoma County, California really gives you an appreciation for the unbelievable ability of mountain lions to blend into their natural surroundings. The man in the video was walking along with his mother when heard a twig snap alerting him to the presence of the big cat. Here’s how he tells the story:
This Mountain Lion ambushed my Mom and I! We were heading back to the car after checking out the rocks and Geology in the Mayacamas Mountains in Sonoma County, CA.
As we reached the inside bend on the road I heard a twig snap. I turned my head and a full grown cougar was lunging out of the brush towards us. I didn’t really have time to think. It was fight, flight, or freeze. It all happened so fast but I reacted without haste. Arms up, primal yell and quickly advanced towards the cat. One more step by either of us and I was in for some battle wounds. Maybe fatal ones. Thankfully it turned away at the last possible moment.
Mountain Lions hardly EVER do this. Almost unexplainable. On a road, two people chatting about, didn’t spook it…maybe a young adult, wounded, mother, rabid, etc. I guess it happens though. The fact we were poking around at the rocks crouched over is a little unnerving looking back, but that’s why I’m posting this. Have your head on a swivel and ears tuned in.
The proper reaction is different in many scenarios even for the same animal. I definitely thank proper wildlife education for preparing yesterday. Stay safe out there, happy hunting.