Watch A Powerful Mountain Lion Effortlessly Clear A 6-Foot Fence And Invade A Family’s Yard

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If you’ve ever wondered if a mountain lion can jump a six-foot fence, this video gives the proof. In a video posted on Critter Reid’s YouTube Channel, a mountain lion is seen standing before a tall chain link fence. As you can see in the video, the mountain lion stands and stares at the fence for a moment, seemingly contemplating the distance. The animal then sits down, has a couple of false starts, but then fairly easily hops over and can be seen on the other side climbing down a tree near the fence line. The mountain lion uses the same tree to get back up and over to the other side without any problems.

As this video proves, if you live in mountain lion country, a six-foot fence is no guarantee for keeping mountain lions out of your yard.

Where in America Do Mountain Lions Live?

According to the Mountain Lion Foundation, 16 states in America have breeding populations of mountain lions. They are mainly located in Western states but can also be found in some Midwest states, and also Texas and Florida.

Mountain lions, also known as cougars, pumas, and panthers, once roamed the Eastern United States, but they were hunted to extinction in many states. Conservation efforts have helped mountain lion populations rebound in the West.

Mountain lions live alone unless they are mating or raising young. They have large ranges of around 100 square miles where they hunt and patrol, making it likely they could come in contact with humans living nearby.

How High Can a Mountain Lion Jump?

As we saw in the video, mountain lions are excellent jumpers. Mountain lions are around three feet to over six feet long and can be 30 inches tall at the height of their shoulders. Although scaling a six-foot fence may seem like an athletic feat to us, mountain lions are capable of jumping 15 to 18 feet straight up in the air. Horizontally, they can leap up to 40 feet. Getting over a backyard fence shouldn’t be hard for a mountain lion.

How to Keep Mountain Lions Out of Your Backyard

If you live in an area where mountain lions roam, don’t leave children or pets unsupervised outside during dusk or dawn. This is the time of day when mountain lions are the most active. Also, don’t leave pets outside at night. If your dogs need a bathroom break, you may have luck keeping mountain lions away if you turn on all the lights and walk your dog on a leash. Also, bring your air horn. These are great at scaring away wildlife. If you have animals that live outdoors full time, like chickens or goats, be sure they are enclosed in a secure pen with a roof.

Other suggestions to keep mountain lions from coming into your yard include placing deterrents around the perimeter. The Mountain Lion Foundation suggests motion lights or sprinklers.

Avoid leaving out pet food or dirty barbeques. This could attract small wildlife, and in turn, bring mountain lions into your yard. Mountain lions love to hide, so keeping crawl spaces covered and shrubs trimmed low will keep them from finding a hiding spot in your yard.

Why Would a Mountain Lion Come Around People?

Most of the time, mountain lions keep their distance from people. However, they may frequent urban areas if they’re after prey. While their diet consists of larger prey, like deer, they may also eat smaller wildlife. Mountain lions may consider raccoons, squirrels, or other wildlife living in urban areas as prey. They may also come after people’s pets or livestock.

What to Do if You See a Mountain Lion

If you see a mountain lion, the National Park Service (NPS) has some tips. First, the NPS recommends that you stay calm, don’t bend or crouch, keep your distance, and don’t run. Usually, this will be enough, but if a mountain lion continues to approach, stand up tall and raise your arms to make yourself look bigger. Throw branches, stones, or anything you can find in its direction to ward it off (remember not to crouch down to grab the items.) If the mountain lion attacks, fight back with anything you are carrying. Try to stay standing and protect your neck.

Why Mountain Lions Are Important to the Ecosystem

When Europeans first came to America, they eradicated mountain lions from the Eastern states. What the settlers didn’t realize is that mountain lions are a keystone species. When mountain lions are removed from an area, the ecosystem changes. Other species the mountain lions prey on can quickly become overpopulated.