Dangerous Animal Encounters – Section 3.2 Cats: Cougar, Jaguars, and Bobcats

December 29, 2016

This section explores what to do if you ever encounter a large cat in the wild.

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Many people hold onto a ton of fear about wild cats, and make no mistake, cougars and jaguars do have the ability to kill humans fairly easily. But here’s the thing, they almost never do! Death by large cat is extremely rare in the North America. So, you do not need to lose much sleep worrying that you might be killed by a large cat if you live in the United States, Canada, or Mexico.

But, it is helpful and re-assuring to know what to do if you ever do encounter a large cat in the wild. It is also important to note that children are in much greater danger from cats than adults due to their smaller size and increased vulnerability.

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Section 3.2.1 Cougars (Mountain Lion, Puma) and Jaguars

In this section we learn about cougar behavior, how to minimize your risk of encountering one, and what to do if you’re threatened by a big cat.

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Dave Scott

Dave Scott can trace his deep love for nature and the outdoors back to his earliest childhood memories exploring the banks of Williamson creek as a child. After spending a childhood filled with outdoor recreation Dave became a member of a Search and Rescue team in Colorado where his passion for self-reliance and wilderness survival was kindled further through helping others in wilderness emergencies. Dave has been involved in Environmental Education since 2003 and, in addition to Earth Native Wilderness School, has instructed at several wilderness schools across the country including the Wilderness Awareness School and Alderleaf Wilderness College. Dave is currently certified as a Track and Sign Specialist through the Cybertracker Conservation evaluation system, an international standard for gauging and enhancing in-field knowledge of wildlife behavior and track and sign identification. He is one of only 20 individuals in North America to attain this level of certification.