FIRST HAND ACCOUNT:
HOW BEAR SPRAY PREVENTED AN ATTACK BY A FEMALE MOUNTAIN LION WITH KITTENS
By Rich DeSimone, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Mountain Lion Researcher
Brian Shinn, an FWP research assistant, and I were capturing and radio-equipping lion kittens for a long-term mountain lion study in the Garnet Mountains in June 2001, east of Missoula, when we used bear spray to deter a female mountain lion that came within five feet of us.
The two-year old, adult female lion, F43, was one of the some 121 lions captured and radio-equipped since 1997 to study how sport hunting affects lion population dynamics and how to monitor lions to determine whether populations are increasing or decreasing.
Two days before this incident, Shinn and I located “F43” using radio-telemetry in an area where she had been for several weeks. That is common behavior when females have kittens. We found at least two month-old kittens with her.
We radio collared one of the kittens and identified her as “F53”. Several days later, we returned to the area using telemetry to find that kitten in order to collar additional kittens in the litter.
As I used our telemetry receiver and antenna to move in on the radio signal, Shinn held an experienced lion hound on a short leash in one hand and his bear spray in the other hand. The adult female lion appeared from under a pine tree and came directly toward us.
She attempted to slap or swipe at the lion hound on the leash. At a distance of only a few feet, Brian shot a burst of the bear spray toward the lion's face. She immediately turned away, made three leaps and at about 10 to 15 feet blinked repeatedly and then started to walk toward us again.
Shinn sprayed a second curtain of bear spray and the lion turned away and this time laid down about 20 yards away. We noticed that she had evidence of foam and saliva near her mouth.
The two of us left the area to prevent any further disturbance to her and her kittens.
Monitoring radioed lions in the Garnets ended early 2007, and at that time lions F43 and F53 were alive and doing fine. Since 2001, both females have produced several litters of kittens.
FWP no longer directly approaches radioed females with tiny kittens. Today's protocol is to locate the female’s den site and wait for her to leave. When she does, we locate and collar the kittens.
Several thousand mountain lions have been captured and marked by biologists studying lions. Aggressive behavior by lions toward humans is extremely rare, although other biologists have also worked with female lions that become anxious when their young are handled. Nonetheless, mountain lion attacks are very rare, and there are no documented cases of lion attacks resulting from defense of their young or food sources.
However, this experience with F43 underscores that it is wise to be very careful around female lions with kittens. In addition, common sense dictates that people should steer clear of lion kills.
While we regret the anxiety that the female lion experienced, it may have benefited other mountain lions by allowing us to confirm that regulation, EPA-approved bear spray can be an effective deterrent to an approaching mountain lion.
-fwp-
HOW BEAR SPRAY PREVENTED AN ATTACK BY A FEMALE MOUNTAIN LION WITH KITTENS
By Rich DeSimone, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Mountain Lion Researcher
Brian Shinn, an FWP research assistant, and I were capturing and radio-equipping lion kittens for a long-term mountain lion study in the Garnet Mountains in June 2001, east of Missoula, when we used bear spray to deter a female mountain lion that came within five feet of us.
The two-year old, adult female lion, F43, was one of the some 121 lions captured and radio-equipped since 1997 to study how sport hunting affects lion population dynamics and how to monitor lions to determine whether populations are increasing or decreasing.
Two days before this incident, Shinn and I located “F43” using radio-telemetry in an area where she had been for several weeks. That is common behavior when females have kittens. We found at least two month-old kittens with her.
We radio collared one of the kittens and identified her as “F53”. Several days later, we returned to the area using telemetry to find that kitten in order to collar additional kittens in the litter.
As I used our telemetry receiver and antenna to move in on the radio signal, Shinn held an experienced lion hound on a short leash in one hand and his bear spray in the other hand. The adult female lion appeared from under a pine tree and came directly toward us.
She attempted to slap or swipe at the lion hound on the leash. At a distance of only a few feet, Brian shot a burst of the bear spray toward the lion's face. She immediately turned away, made three leaps and at about 10 to 15 feet blinked repeatedly and then started to walk toward us again.
Shinn sprayed a second curtain of bear spray and the lion turned away and this time laid down about 20 yards away. We noticed that she had evidence of foam and saliva near her mouth.
The two of us left the area to prevent any further disturbance to her and her kittens.
Monitoring radioed lions in the Garnets ended early 2007, and at that time lions F43 and F53 were alive and doing fine. Since 2001, both females have produced several litters of kittens.
FWP no longer directly approaches radioed females with tiny kittens. Today's protocol is to locate the female’s den site and wait for her to leave. When she does, we locate and collar the kittens.
Several thousand mountain lions have been captured and marked by biologists studying lions. Aggressive behavior by lions toward humans is extremely rare, although other biologists have also worked with female lions that become anxious when their young are handled. Nonetheless, mountain lion attacks are very rare, and there are no documented cases of lion attacks resulting from defense of their young or food sources.
However, this experience with F43 underscores that it is wise to be very careful around female lions with kittens. In addition, common sense dictates that people should steer clear of lion kills.
While we regret the anxiety that the female lion experienced, it may have benefited other mountain lions by allowing us to confirm that regulation, EPA-approved bear spray can be an effective deterrent to an approaching mountain lion.
-fwp-
