How to Survive a Mountain Lion Attack

Although mountain lions are generally wary of humans, they have been known to attack on occasion. The cause is not normally known—could be due to hunger, disease, protecting their young—or various other reasons. To fend off an attack, there are certain measures to take that have been proven to work.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Mace or pepper spray where it can be easily reached

1. Mountain lions tend to avoid people, so if one seems to be approaching, try to give it a chance to escape.
2. Look the lion in the eye (s) if it continues to approach you.
3. Make loud noises. Showing your teeth and making growling noises may help.
4. Make yourself appear bigger by raising up your jacket or other clothing and extending or holding up your arms.
5. Stand up straight and stick out your chest.
6. Pull children close, and if possible, put a small child on your shoulders to appear larger. If there are other adults, stand close together.
7. If you feel you can retreat, back away slowly, and remember to never turn your back to the animal.
8. Use anything within reach as a weapon and try to avoid bending or kneeling to get it. Mace or pepper spray, sticks, branches, rocks, a knife. If you have a bicycle, you can hold it up as a shield.
9. Try to target an eye and jab it with your thumb (people who have done this have been successful) or use a weapon if available.
10. Yell "lion", "cougar" or something specific instead of just "help."

Tips & Warnings

• Mountain lions can usually be found wherever there are deer, since deer are their main food source. Foothills and mountains are their most common habitat.
• Plant deer resistant plants and shrubs around your home if you live in deer territory.
• Remove dense vegetation and shrubbery from around your home and install outdoor lighting to make it difficult for mountain lions to approach unseen.
• California’s Department of Fish and Game receives hundreds of reports annually of mountain lions killing pets and livestock.