Pratt uses the analogy of a mother on a playground to explain the lion’s reaction. (In interviews, Burgess has said he thought the kittens were bobcats.) She points out that the cougar’s reaction begins after Burgess, the runner, approaches its offspring. In contrast, she says, the snarling, lunging cat in the video is trying to warn off a creature that it likely sees as a threat. She’s also encountered lions, on lawns and in backyards, near her home outside of Yosemite National Park.Īs Pratt points out, mountain lions are ambush predators, sneaking up on their quarry and staying hidden until the very last minute. As the California regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, she works with conservation groups trying to protect mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, and has helped collar the animals for National Park Service projects. Pratt has had her fair share of encounters with cougars, both personal and professional. “I always say this: If a mountain lion is stalking you to hunt you, you will probably not know.” “‘Stalking’ implies you’re hunting something, right?” she says. Shot in Utah, the six-minute clip shows a mountain lion advancing, snarling and batting at the air, as Kyle Burgess, the trail runner holding the camera, slowly backs away down the gravel path. Since first appearing online, the video, titled “ Cougar Attack in Utah | Mountain Lion Stalks Me For 6 Minutes!” has appeared in publications from CNN to Newsweek, many of which have parroted its language about “stalking” and “attacks” in their titles.īeth Pratt has a problem with headlines like those. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!īy now, you’ve doubtless seen *that* viral mountain lion video.
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