The United States mountain lion population is estimated to be between 20,000 and 40,000 lions, almost all of which live in the western United States (Florida is home to the only breeding population east of the Mississippi River). But they’re very secretive animals, and the odds of spotting one in their natural habitat are pretty low.
While mountain lions tend to be the most active during dawn and dusk, they are active throughout both the day and night and spotting one at any time of day is entirely likely. This backcountry skier, for example, somehow managed to spot this rather well camouflaged cougar keeping a keen eye on him from a nearby tree.
Mountain lion attacks are very rare, with only 29 fatal cases recorded since 1868. Most attacks will happen during the day in an area of human recreation, though they’re typically more common in the summer and fall than in the winter. In any mountain lion encounter, people are best off leaving plenty of space between them and the animal and doing all that they can to appear as large as possible. Running is never recommended. Read more about mountain lion safety below:
National Park Service Guidelines for Mountain Lion Safety:
- Do not jog or hike alone. Go in groups with adults supervising children.
- Keep children close to you. Do not allow children to play along river banks, in heavy vegetation, or alone at dawn or dusk. When hiking with children, watch them closely and never let them run ahead of you. Observations of captured wild mountain lions reveal that the animals seem especially drawn to children.
If you encounter a lion, remember the goals are to convince it that you are not prey and that you may be dangerous. Follow these safety tips:
- Do not approach a lion. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
- Do not run from a lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have small children with you, pick them up if possible so that they don’t panic and run. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without bending over or turning away from the mountain lion.
- Do not crouch down or bend over. A human standing up is just not the right shape for a lion’s prey. Conversely, a person squatting or bending over resembles a four-legged prey animal. In mountain lion country, avoid squatting, crouching or bending over, even when picking up children.
- Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you are wearing one. Again, pick up small children. Throw stones, branches, or whatever you can reach without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice. The idea is to convince the mountain lion that you are not prey and that you may be a danger to it.
- Fight back if attacked. A hiker in southern California used a rock to fend off a mountain lion that was attacking his son. Others have fought back successfully with sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools and their bare hands. Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the attacking animal.