Scotts Valley local Chrstine Barbir loves the great outdoors, and adding the Glenwood Preserve hiking trails are part of her fitness routines.
But a couple of days ago on the Magenta trail by the high school at around 10am, she ran into another local while out on her hike at the western portion of the preserve in the morning, a four legged local that was a mountain lion.
“It growled twice but didn’t approach,” said Christine. “I always tell my kids ‘don’t be scared- be aware and prepared.’”
When asked what she did by a local on the MSV Locals page where she posted about her encounter, Christine said, “I didn’t want to run, so (I) just slowly kept walking and started talking loud but calm.”
Just a reminder that we are ALL LOCALS, including mountain lions, deer, coyotes and other wildlife that grace this area.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER A MOUNTAIN LION?
Recommendations for Mountain Lion Encounters, from the National Park Service:
– Stay calm. Hold your ground and back away slowly. Face the lion and stand upright.
– Do not approach a lion. Never approach a mountain lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
– Do not run from a lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal, maintaining eye contact. Keep children from running away.
– Do not crouch down or bend over. Biologists surmise mountain lions don’t recognize standing humans as prey. On the other hand, a person squatting or bending over looks a lot like a four-legged prey animal.
More @ https://pathprojects.com/blogs/news/trail-safety-for-mountain-lion-encounters-and-attacks