The L.A. Times reports a mountain lion is on the prowl near the city of Glendora, following a recent near-attack on a cyclist on Glendora Ridge Road at the end of August. Near Marker 930, a man biking at nearly 20 mph had a very close encounter with a mountain lion as it jumped down a steep bank at the cyclist.
Dry weather made tracking the lion impossible, so authorities are warning everyone who hikes or bikes in the area to brush up on their mountain lion survival skills:
–Do not hike, bike, or jog alone.
–Avoid hiking or jogging when mountain lions are most active — dawn, dusk and at night.
–Keep a close watch on small children.
–Do not approach a mountain lion.
–If encounter a mountain lion, do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to look bigger by waving your arms; throw rocks or other objects. Pick up small children.
–If attacked, fight back.
–If a mountain lion attacks a person, immediately call 911.
These guys have a pretty big range, so they’re hoping it just happened to wander closer to civilization than it would usually do. But still — hike safe, and keep your wits about you.
Also, try to think about how you’d fight back against a mountain lion.
Photo by jhookfisher
