cougar
Hikers often ask each other, “Ever seen a cougar in the wild?” because they’ve never encountered one, and they wonder if others have. The most common answer is, “No, have you?”
Cougar sightings are rare. Yet cougars are prevalent. And cougar/hiker near misses are common. If you hike frequently, you’ve surely come close to a cougar without realizing it, because they’re wary, cunning, stealthy.
But don’t assume you’ll never encounter a cougar. They’re out there and can be dangerous. Be as wary of them as they are of you. Here’s what you need to know.
Sometimes referred to as a puma, mountain lion, or panther, the cougar is an enormous, graceful cat. An adult male can reach the size of a big human: 80 kilos (175 pounds), and 2.4 meters (8 feet) long, including a 1-meter (3-foot) tail. In the mountains of western Canada, they tend to be a tawny grey.
Nocturnal, secretive, solitary creatures, cougars come together only to mate. Each cat establishes a territory of 200 to 280 square kilometers (125 to 175 square miles). They favour dense forest that provides cover while hunting. They also hide among rock outcroppings and in steep canyons.
Habitat loss and aggressive predator-control programs have severely limited the range of this mysterious animal that once lived throughout North America. Still, cougars are not considered endangered or threatened. Cougars appear to be thriving throughout western North America.
Cougars are carnivores. They eat everything from mice to elk, but prefer deer. They occasionally stalk people, but rarely attack them. In folklore, cougars are called ghost cats or ghost walkers, and for good reason. They’re very shy and typically avoid human contact. Nevertheless, cougars have attacked solo hikers and lone cross-country skiers.
Cougar sightings and encounters are increasing, but it’s uncertain whether that’s due to a larger cougar population or the growing number of people visiting the wilderness. If you’re lucky enough to see a cougar, treasure the experience—cautiously, because they’re unpredictable.
Never hike alone in areas of known cougar sightings. Keep children close to you; pick them up if you see fresh cougar scat or tracks. Never approach a cougar, especially a feeding one.
Never flee from a cougar, or even turn your back on it. Sudden movement might trigger an instinctive attack. Avert your gaze and speak to it in a calm, soothing voice. Hold your ground or back away slowly. Always give the animal a way out. If a cougar approaches, spread your arms, open your jacket, do anything you can to enlarge your image. If it acts aggressively, wave your arms, shout, throw rocks or sticks. If attacked, fight back. Don’t play dead.
Never have seen one up close which is fine. A few times have found tracks that I think were from this wild one. Once when beach hiking on Vancouver Island we were warned about one in the area that had taken a few small animals. Always a good idea to refresh our memories and raise the awareness again.
Posted by DSD on May 27th, 2012.
When we lived in the West Kootenay, we used to see tracks on the mountainside just above our home, so we knew they regularly cruised past. Once, we found a dead deer—obviously taken down by a cougar—within 100 m of our home. Still, we never saw one of the neighbourhood cats themselves. Our only sighting was while driving away from a trailhead one evening in northern Idaho. A big cat crossed the road immediately in front of us. What was startling was the animal’s length. From the tip of the nose to the end of the tail, it seemed to span the entire width of the road. “Lion” indeed.
Posted by hikingcamping on May 28th, 2012.
Hey guys just checking in with you. How are things? Love the blog. Miss you guys in canmore. Anyway my brother just got stalked in revelstoke a few weeks ago read the story on cbc west http://www.cbc.ca/radiowest/2012/04/30/man-faces-cougar-on-boulder-mountain/
Hope to see you both soon
Chris
Posted by Chris on May 30th, 2012.
Hi Chris… We’re well, but we miss you — on many levels. Weird that we posted that blog at nearly the same time your brother was stalked. I’ll respond in more detail directly to your email address. — Craig P.S. And thanks for checking our blog. I think you’ll find our next post interesting.
Posted by hikingcamping on May 31st, 2012.
Hope you guys are doing well. It can get crazy out there.
Posted by Tom on May 31st, 2012.
Hi, I made it to this blog via a link in a Wanderung group e-mail. It also included a link to AdventureSmart’s page about cougars. I’ve noticed conflicting information:
This page:
” Avert your gaze and speak to it in a calm, soothing voice.”
http://adventuresmart.ca/trip_safety/cougarsafety.htm:
“Keep direct eye contact with the cougar at all times and give it an escape route.”
How do we know which is correct?
Posted by Heather on August 22nd, 2012.
I believe they mean generally keep an eye on the animal. Intently staring down any animal, even a domesticated dog, can provoke it. So I stand by my suggestion to avert your gaze. — Craig
Posted by hikingcamping on August 30th, 2012.