Roaring saved a man’s life during a mountain lion encounter.
Dutch Faro was enjoying the northern Los Angeles County Reservoir on a sunny day. Suddenly, a mountain lion appeared, looking for a fight. Luckily, Faro’s instincts kicked in right before the big cat was about to attack him, and he began roaring! The mountain lion realized the man was a threat and fled the scene.
Roaring might seem like an odd strategy, but it gets weirder. Hikers have used some very strange tactics to survive wildlife encounters, especially with big cats. Follow along as we explore three incredible ways hikers have scared off mountain lions in real life.
1. Singing Loud Opera
With no weapon or place to hide, Kopestonsky used the only thing she had when faced with a
bobcat
: her voice.
©Petr Salinger/Shutterstock.com
Who knew singing could save your life? Kyra Kopestonsky was hiking in Ohio when she ventured off the main trail. Immersed in the beautiful scenery, she didn’t notice that a mountain lion was approaching. Soon the animal was only 15 ft away from her!
After seeing the mountain lion, Kopestonsky tried to lose it by changing course. However, the big cat continued to stalk her. Whenever she veered down a new trail, the mountain lion would creep behind her.
Soon the mountain lion was only 8 feet away. With no weapon or place to hide, Kopestonsky used the only thing she had: her voice. The hiker began singing opera as loudly as she could.
It turns out the mountain lion wasn’t a fan of opera. The big cat put its ears down and began backing away. Kopestonsky was able to hike back to safety.
Do all mountain lions hate opera? The big cat may have been annoyed by the sound. But it’s also possible that when Kyra began singing, the mountain lion realized she was a human instead of prey. A similar incident occurred when a woman sang a Metallica song to scare off a cougar!
2. Screaming Lines From Seinfeld
Mike McCormick had been enjoying the Colorado trail for three hours when a mountain lion appeared.
©Len Blumin, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons – Original / License
A bicyclist was enjoying a trail in Colorado when a mountain lion began stalking him. Mike McCormick had been enjoying the trail for three hours when a deer ran by. Moments later, a mountain lion appeared on the scene.
The two stared each other in the eye, and the big cat began crouching down and creeping towards McCormick. With little time to react, he lifted his bike over his head and began screaming. But this did not deter the mountain lion. That’s when McCormick made the strange choice to shout a line well-known to all Seinfeld fans.
Taking a deep breath, he screamed in his best Jerry Stiller voice, “You! You want a piece of me?!” The mountain lion did not want a piece of him. He turned and left immediately.
3. Acting Like Cesar Millan
Girardeau was smart enough to stand his ground, a great strategy when face-to-face with a wild cat.
©Rejean Bedard/Shutterstock.com
Mark Girardeau has another great story about surviving mountain lions in real life. He was photographing mountain lions in California, and one of the big cats came running toward him. He was only a few feet from the massive feline.
Giradeau began yelling at the mountain lion to get back! But the big cat just kept watching him unfazed. What ensued was a two-minute staring battle. Girardeau was smart enough to stand his ground. He knew he couldn’t outrun the mountain lion and that running might trigger its predatory response.
When the mountain lion began creeping closer, Girardeau was forced to act. Mimicking famous dog trainer Cesar Millan, he asserted his dominance. In an authoritative tone, he demanded the mountain lion to go away. Finally, the mountain lion backed down until it disappeared into the brush.
How to Stay Safe Around Mountain Lions in Real Life
The mountain lion encounters here have happy endings, thanks to these individual’s quick thinking. No matter how strange the noise-making tactics were, they successfully scared the big cats away.
What else could you do to stay safe in the event of a mountain lion encounter? Here are the top tips for surviving mountain lions in real life:
- Don’t run
- Don’t turn away
- Make yourself large and intimidating
Stand your ground. For most animal encounters, running will only make things worse. When you run, you can trigger an animal’s predatory response. Staying put helps you appear strong, without threatening the animal.
The intuitive people in this article all made loud sounds. This is a good way to intimidate mountain lions. However, avoid screaming in a high-pitched tone. High-pitched squeals might sound like prey. Instead, you want to use your deepest, most authoritative human voice. Let the big cat know you’re big, scary, and not to be messed with!
Making a ton of noise is also an effective technique for surviving a black bear attack. You can clap your hands, yell in a deep voice, or even bang pots and pans if available. Or prepare by bringing noisemakers with you on the trail.
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