Mountain Lion Foundation

Cougar Clippings Article

Date:

1/12/2006

Article Title:

Mountain lion sightings in Dawes County no cause for alarm

Media Source:

The Chadron Record (South Dakota)

By Lauren Smith - Record staff writer

Encounters between mountain lions and humans are becoming more common throughout the American west, leading to controversy in areas such as the Black Hills of South Dakota, which recently saw resumption of hunting of a creature once thought to have been nearly eliminated from its former range.

Sightings of mountain lions in northwest Nebraska have also increased, and during the past two months, a handful of unconfirmed mountain lion sightings have been reported in Chadron.

Although these are predatory creatures, experts who have studied their behavior say that they pose little danger to humans.

Lynn Sadler, Executive Director of the California-based Mountain Lion Foundation, cautions the public against becoming alarmed over unconfirmed sightings. She said that most mountain lion �sightings� are of other species, such as dogs or bobcats.

�If it is a mountain lion, it is clearly on its way somewhere,� said Sadler.

�He's dispersing to somewhere and you need to let him do that.�

According to Sadler, it is normal behavior for a young lion to travel through certain regions on their way to new territory.

�Just don't give him a reason to stay, is the key here,� she said.

Mountain lions are not aggressively hostile animals, so as long as humans leave them alone, they should leave humans alone.

�Pet dogs kill more people every year than mountain lions have in the history of North America,� said Sadler.

According to the Mountain Lion Foundation, 13 people have been killed in cougar attacks in the past century, as compared to 13,000 rattlesnake-related deaths and 4,000 deaths related to bees.

�I don't think there's a reason to be afraid, but there is a reason to pay attention,� said Sadler.

Chadron resident Walt Meyer, Conservation Officer, said that although the sightings in Chadron are unconfirmed, there have been three confirmed sightings in the region during the past year.

This past summer, there were two confirmed cougar sightings near Crawford, and three weeks ago, one confirmed sighting on Dead Horse Road.

Arlene Goergen encountered a mountain lion during one of those sightings.

Goergen lives about six miles northwest of Crawford, with her boyfriend, Dave Dodd.

�Dave woke up to the dog barking, and he went out to see what was going on,� she said.

After following the dog to a tree, Dodd was met with an unusual surprise.

�He was eyeball to eyeball with this mountain lion,� said Goergen.

After Dodd went back inside and got Goergen out of bed, she came outside with him to take pictures of the cougar.

�He was just curled up in the tree, wanting to sleep. He was just so handsome,� she said.

�I was not frightened. I was getting closer and closer, taking pictures.�

Goergen said that she got within 20 feet of the tree before Dodd cautioned her not to go any closer.

The couple's neighbors also came over to take pictures.

�I never felt threatened. The only time he really moved was when the neighbor went deeper into the yard,� said Goergen.

Eventually, Goergen and Dodd had to contact the game warden, who told them to lock up their dog and cat and make the neighbors leave.

�We think he [the cougar] was in the process of leaving at that time,� said Goergen.

The mountain lion left, without much interference, just a few hours after it made its appearance.

Goergen offered a piece of advice to anyone who might encounter a mountain lion.

�I wouldn't try to invade their space. If you stay out of their area, you should be fine,� she said.

In the past, most confirmed sightings in areas that are not mountain lion territory have been of young males traveling to new territory, looking for a mate. Although there have been multiple cougar sightings in Dawes county, it is unlikely that there have been many mountain lions traveling through.

�There's a good chance it's the same one. They cover quite a large area,� said Meyer.

Young toms travel a lot, and it is not uncommon for one to cover 25 miles in a night, said Meyer.

The chances of a mountain lion actually prowling around Chadron, however, are slim.

�I would say it's highly improbable, but never say never,� said Meyer.

Although it is a rare occurrence, young cougars sometimes wander into city limits.

On November 7, the corpse of a male mountain lion was discovered along Interstate 80 west of Omaha, after months of reported sightings. The sightings were not confirmed, however, because of a lack of physical evidence or photographs. Of some thirty reports, there were no indications of humans or domestic animals being threatened by the reported cougar.

Although it requires some added energy and work, coexistence between humans and mountain lions is possible, according to David Gaillard, Interim Director of the Predator Conservation Alliance in Montana.

Gaillard said that people in certain regions across the west coexist with cougars on a daily basis, and accept it as an added responsibility of living in or near a wilderness area.

�Generally cougars are pretty secretive and keep a distance from humans and activity,� he said.

According to Gaillard, the cougars' range covers most of the western United States. Cougars are rarely found in eastern states, and in Florida, the mountain lion is classified as an endangered species. Although mountain lions are not considered endangered in most of the west, in many areas they have some government protection.

Mountain lions are not a greater threat to livestock than stray dogs or coyotes, and the risk of a human being attacked is even less.

�The risk is generally pretty low, but you don't want to discount it altogether,� said Gaillard.

He added that a good information flow concerning the activity and whereabouts of cougars is crucial, so that humans can remain aware and cautious when one is present.

According to the Mountain Lion Foundation, there are six steps that should be followed when in mountain lion territory.

� Do not feed wildlife and do not leave pet food outside.

� Keep pets secure. Roaming dogs and cats are easy morsels for mountain lions.

� Do not approach mountain lions. Most want to avoid humans, so give them time and room to get away from you.

� Keep your kids close in mountain lion country, especially between dusk and dawn, when the animals hunt.

� Hike or camp in lion country with a companion. Never run from a lion. It triggers their prey drive. Instead, make eye contact and stand your ground. Try to make yourself look big and aggressive. Raise your arms or a jacket. Speak slowly and loudly. Throw stones and branches, if you can, without bending or turning away.

� If attacked, try to remain standing to protect your head and neck, and fight back. The lion is looking for a meal, not a fight.

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