CDFW
Originally posted on May 22, 2017
Blog by Erin Hauge
Many people come back from hikes or drives certain they've seen a mountain lion. While lions are elusive and mainly avoid people, they do show up sunning on rocks, as an exciting and unexpected sight on a walk out in nature, or as a brief glimpse dashing across a road or highway.
But many folks mistake bobcats and even domestic cats for lions. In the adrenaline-filled moment when you think you're seeing a lion, it's easy to forget to look for the most distinctive details that will tell you whether the feline you're seeing is a lion or not.
Photos courtesy of California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Mountain lions are big. They can weigh anywhere from 75 pounds (a young female) to 200 pounds (a full-grown male.) When you think you're seeing a lion, try to get a sense of how tall the animal is compared to the trees and vegetation behind the animal.
Mountain lions have a long, heavy tail with a black tip. This is perhaps the easiest identifying characteristic during a fleeting sighting. The tail of a mountain lion can be 1/3 its body length. Used for balance and rudder-like direction changes when chasing prey, it's thick and muscular with a dark tip. Bobcats have a distinctive stub tail and even large domestic cats have smaller tails that don't compare with the powerful back appendage of a lion!
Mountain lions have broad, rounded ears and the backs of the ears can be black, with no tufts, like a bobcat may have.
Mountain lions are usually tawny in color with no stripes or markings. Their kittens however, are born with spots to help them blend in with the surrounding terrain. Kittens lose these spots as they grow. By around 2 months old, their spots start to fade and by one year old, their spots have faded significantly.
Photo courtesy of California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Safety First
If you encounter a mountain lion, first and foremost don't run. Wave arms over your head to appear big and yell at the lion while maintaining eye contact and backing away slowly. Be sure to leave the cat an avenue of escape. Pick up small children. Throwing rocks is good, too. In the unlikely event of an attack, fight back. Go for the eyes and punch hard at the head.
If you are seeing what you think is a mountain lion in a non-threatening situation, such as from a car or in the distance, walking or running away from you or appearing across a river or other natural barrier, don't ever approach them but try and get a photograph so you can enjoy your sighting later!
Seeing a mountain lion in the wild is a rare privilege and you'd be among the relatively few people who've actually seen these big cats in their native home.
And if you think you've seen a mountain lion while exploring the Cosumnes River Preserve, please report it immediately to the Visitor Center or call 916-684-2816!
