The Cougar by Paula Wild

The Cougar by Paula Wild

Author:Paula Wild [Wild, Paula]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: cougar, wild cats, puma, mountain lion, wild animals, cougar attacks, cougar safety
Publisher: D & M Publishers
Published: 2013-08-21T07:00:00+00:00


Clarence Hall, shown here with his wife and hounds, had been tracking cougars for thirty years when he was attacked by one in 2000. He used a tip from a dog trainer to prevent the cougar from killing him until help arrived. Photo by Rick James

It’s extremely unusual to see a cougar and even more so to be attacked by one. People are much more likely to be injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident, yet most Canadians and Americans are around cars every day. Collisions are avoided by paying attention to what’s going on and using tools such as seatbelts, child safety restraints and airbags in case an accident does occur. Most people employ these precautions without even thinking about them. And that same common sense should be present whenever a person is in cougar country.

The first step is to be aware of the environment. Abnormally noisy birds or an abrupt silence—like one woman noticed just before a cougar grabbed her small dog—can indicate the presence of predators. Likewise, a gathering of ravens, jays, crows or eagles may mean they’re scavenging a nearby cougar prey carcass. No matter where a person is, the outdoors has its own community of creatures. For them, survival means knowing who’s in the neighbourhood and what they’re up to. If a person is observant, they can pick up clues from wildlife and birds’ behaviour. And it’s easier to tune in to what type of song the birds are singing—or not—if you aren’t looking at a mobile device or using headphones.

Just as it’s prudent to look both ways before crossing a street, people in rural and wilderness areas should be aware of the signs of animal life around them. But humans seldom see cougars. Their coats blend in with most landscapes and they’re masters of silence and stealth, adept at seeing without being seen. In Animal Dialogues, author Craig Childs mentioned a thirty-six-kilogram (eighty-pound) mountain lion that walked through the Arizona desert making less sound than Childs’ fingers did running through the sand. Jessie Dickson and a friend were hiking in Alum State Park in California and were within a metre and a half (five feet) of a mountain lion before they noticed it. The only reason they saw the cat was because it turned its head to watch them.

It’s not unusual for radio-collared cougars in California to be tracked crossing golf courses, entering backyards or watching people as they walk on trails. “If you spend any time in the woods, I can almost guarantee that you’ve been close to a lion and not known it,” said Walter Boyce, wildlife veterinarian and professor at University of California, Davis. What people are most likely to see is the orange, red or green eyeshine of a big cat in the dark or the tip of its long cylindrical tail as it leaps across a trail or road.

Although secretive and discreet, cougars do leave physical signs of their presence if a person knows what to look for.



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