https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/20/us/washington-cougar-attack-leaves-mountain-biker-dead/index.html



Kitty likes to chase its prey ...... never run from a cougar. Stay together if in a party....shout at it and throw rocks if possible or other object if it gets closer .....BUT NEVER ATTEMPT TO RUN AWAY ! What runs away from it a Cougar sees as prey.

Above all,
- don't startle/surprise kitty
- don't get between kitty, and kitty's kittens

Understand oh ye yuppies that wildlife may be "cute" but it will try to kill you if given the chance. Getting on your bicycle and riding to a safe space to use your mobile phone maybe was not the best idea. Standing your ground and beating at the cat with whatever was handy ( like maybe a bicycle ) could have saved a life.

Anyone see this yet?

Yes I saw it. Classic case of people thinking that wild animals are in fact the cuddly, lovable creatures that you see on kid's cartoons.

IDIOTS.

Lets be honest,people that get out of their cars in a lion or any wild animal enclosure deserve all they get.

Spot on there Chucky Awhile back The news showed a mamma bear and her two cubs crossing the road and the fools were outside with their cell phones taking pictures...I was waiting for her to go after them but she just headed into the woods

Heading for the Tetons on vacation this next month. More then likely will encounter many tourists doing stupid things to the wildlife. Last trip to Yellowstone was a circus with idiots everywhere.
Watched one guy at upper falls parking area climbing up a hill to get better shot of this huge bull elk. He got about halfway and the bull decided he wanted no part of him and walked down the
backside of the hill. And at every buffalo crossing traffic jam how many idiots get out of their vehicles. Seen it in Custer State park to.

These are the same people who refer to pets as their "fur babies."

It always amazes me when people refuse to acknowledge that despite all of our technology we're still part of the food chain, and the only reason we emerged on top was because of that technology (and a couple other things, like the ability to run for long distances, language that lets us work as a team, and an understanding that if one gives one inch on one's place at the top of the food chain the penalties for second place is severe).

Another example of "Don't touch the stove, it's hot".

^^ I was going to add that to my post,thx for including it.

If it hasn’t been for the children who had no choice in the matter, I would have been rooting for the cheetahs. Darwin needs to be brought back, too many unfit people are surviving to breed.

Spot on. I have owned large dogs for decades and I often have "discussions" with twits who treat dogs like cuddly plush toys instead of domesticated pack hunters.

We see tourists getting out of their car to get "better pictures" of moose and bears....and my favourite are the poor gullible souls who pay thousands to be flown by some animal welfare group to the pack ice to 'cuddle' a seal pup. two things to be aware of .....a large dog seal is a big predator and will have a go at you and ( the most ironic )........once the "animal lover' touches the seal pup , the mother will no longer look after it and it starves.

I think the only thing they could have done was put their bikes in between themselves and the Cougar and slowly backed away. All the while just hoping it would just go away. What a horrible way to go.

Does anyone know if pepper spray would work on a cougar? Don't they have spray for bears that might give you a better chance of escaping?

These two cyclists did the right thing when they first encountered the underweight 3 year old Cougar. They were off their bikes and yelled at the Cougar, driving it off... however, it returned and attacked. It had one of the cyclists skull in its' mouth when the other one then fled and became prey at that point. The one that was bitten in the head was able to get away and seek help.

I've had a close encounter with a Mountain Lion deep in the Cascade range. I was with two others and fortunately nothing happened. His tail must have been 4-5' long. Big cat. After a stare down, it finally left... the adrenaline hit after the incident was pretty intense.
If we had headed up hill in the woods on the same trajectory we were on, without crossing over a small ravine before heading up, we would have come face to face. As it happened he was headed away from us, facing about 3/4 to us and looking back at us... probably only about 75 yards away at most. It was a pretty amazing encounter.

Yes, pepper spray is known to be effective on bears, especially because of their super-sensitive sense of smell. Animals in general, especially canines and felines (wild and domestic) tend to have very sensitive noses, so I would not be surprised if pepper spray would be a good "keep-away" option in your left hand while your right hand has a very powerful handgun in it (.44 Mag, 10mm, etc . . . ). However, make sure to get pepper spray in a canister that is made to spray a good distance because if that bear gets too close he or she will use that spray as a condiment.

In this region dangerou wild animals can be found pretty much everywhere, even well inside urban areas on occasion.

In the job I'm in, I'm always amazed/incredulous about how a person, usually male, thinks he's got the right to pat the police dog which is clearly showing cues that it doesn't want it. Yes, mostly they are drunk, but my 45kg Shepherd has a very good resting #%&*$# face, but people seem to think they are special and all he'll do is give them a wet sloppy kiss.

Normally intelligent people can turn into cretins around animals in my opinion.

Long time ago worked for a towing company that was also a police compound. Had to put the 2 German Shepard's away whenever the cops showed up.