Big Bend National Park in Texas is incredible in many respects. At 1,252 square miles of land, it is larger than the state of Rhode Island and is home to 75 different species of mammals. Mammal species at Big Bend range in size from a minuscule Western pipistrelle bat (0.2 ounces) all the way up to large black bears (250 pounds).
One species of mammal that roams this immense park is the mountain lion. There are more than 150 mountain lion sightings reported annually by visitors of Big Bend National Park. The majority of these sightings occur along park roadways but encounters along trails also happen. Since 1984 several mountain lion encounters in the park have resulted in attacks on people but these elusive apex predators generally prefer to avoid people.
One such sighting occurred just outside the park’s Chisos Basin Visitor Center where tourists observed a mountain lion stealthily stalking a deer through the underbrush. Tourists witnessed the pursuit from both the roadway and the railing of the visitor center.
While the outcome of this stalk is unknown, studies show that mountain lions’ success rate while hunting deer is only about 10-15%. Learn more about mountain lion safety at Big Bend National Park below.
Big Bend National Park Mountain Lion Safety Guidelines:
In the event that you encounter an aggressive mountain lion:
- Do not run. A mountain lion’s attack instincts are triggered by running.
- Keep children close, do not let them run ahead while hiking.
- Maintain eye contact, and never turn away from the lion.
- Stand up straight, with arms above your head in order to appear larger.
- Back away very slowly in case the lion is guarding a kill or her den.
- If the lion approaches, throw rocks or sticks and yell at the animal.
- If the lion does attack, fight back.
