sierraclub.org - sierra magazine - march/april 2012 - predators gonna prey
I believe that if we're going to preserve wild places and wild animals, we need to accept some danger. If I were killed by a mountain lion in one of the wildest places on Earth, it would be an honor—although, I have to admit, one I'd rather not receive. —Dan Miller
Andrew Hughan is a wildlife specialist with the California Department of Fish and Game.
"Dan did all the right things once he was face-to-face with the mountain lion. Although it may not seem so at the time, the cougar is more afraid of you than you are of it. Making noise and looking large will almost always scare lions away. If that fails, however, and you are attacked, fight back as hard as you can. Don't play dead—or you soon will be."
Illustrations by Koren Shadmi