The clip captures the moment a man walking along a mountain trail was suddenly confronted by a cougar, causing many viewers to gasp in shock.
The video was accidentally recorded by a man living in Los Angeles, California, while he was walking along a mountain trail and using his smartphone to capture the scenery around him.
What seemed like an ordinary walk took a turn when a cougar unexpectedly leaped out from the bushes behind him, ready to attack.
Moment the cougar leaps out of the bushes, charging at the man walking on the mountain. (Image from the clip).
The man was startled but fortunately remained calm enough to handle the situation. He quickly turned around to face the animal and shouted loudly, producing a sound reminiscent of a roar. Surprised by the man’s reaction, the cougar became frightened and ran back into nearby bushes.
“I was stalked by a cougar that jumped out to attack; luckily, I scared it off with a roar at the last moment,” the man stated when he posted the video on social media.
The clip has “gone viral” on social media, attracting millions of views along with hundreds of thousands of comments and shares. Many social media users expressed admiration for the man’s calm reaction in the clip, which helped him escape the dangerous situation.
“He was so calm and handled the situation correctly. If he had turned and run, he would have been chased and attacked by the animal, leading to a very dangerous situation,” commented one social media user.
“The key point is to remain calm in the face of such an unexpected situation. If panicked, the animal will sense it and become more aggressive. Not everyone can stay as calm as this guy did; it’s truly admirable,” another user commented on YouTube.
Many opinions suggested that the cougar in this situation was likely a young individual, which quickly became frightened when threatened. If it had been an adult, the man might have faced more danger. Nevertheless, the man’s calm reaction in such an unexpected situation is commendable.
The cougar (also known as mountain lion or puma) is a large cat species in the Felidae family, distributed throughout the Americas, ranging from Canada to the southern Andes in South America, making it the most widely distributed large terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere.
Cougars vary greatly in size depending on their habitat. Males typically weigh between 52 to 100 kg, while females weigh between 29 to 64 kg. They are primarily nocturnal hunters, mainly preying on deer but also consuming various mammals such as coyotes, bobcats, rodents, moose, wild boars, and porcupines.
Although cougars rarely encounter and attack humans, there have been many cases, especially when people accidentally enter their hunting areas. Numerous instances of hikers or cyclists being attacked by cougars have resulted in fatalities.
According to wildlife experts, when faced with a cougar, it is crucial to remain calm, stand tall, and slowly back away without approaching or running suddenly. Importantly, never crouch in front of a cougar. If a cougar approaches, do everything to appear threatening, such as clapping, yelling loudly, and using objects to throw at the animal, particularly targeting the head. In case of an attack, do everything possible to fight back.
