Mountain biker killed by mountain lion

http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/oc...&month=1&day=8

Dean A. Stepper wrote:

http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/oc...&month=1&day=8


[for those of us that hate registering for sites like that
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/010804_nw_mt_lion.html ]

Damn, I can't believe that. I just rode there the other weekend... I love
that little trail.
We were kicking at this one section, and I my buddy whispers at me, bro,
check that out." I look over and there's two deer out in broad daylight
feeding in a heavily used section of the trail. As I look closer, I notice a
few more of them, the whole family was out. I thought this is really strange
and a little spooky. I told my friend, "C'mon, let's get out of here before
we scare them, not to mention they could be *someone's dinner".

I thought mountain lion attacks on adults were very, very rare ?? Anybody
have/know any info about mountain lion habits?

--
Slacker

Slacker wrote:
I thought mountain lion attacks on adults were very, very rare ?? Anybody
have/know any info about mountain lion habits?

Around/about one a year in California since the 1980s, most not fatal.
The number may be going up as more people live and recreate in mountain
lion habitat (and secondarily, because the lion population has returned
near extirpation). There were no verifiable injuries from lion attacks
reported in CA between 1909 and 1986 (!), but since then there have
been several (only a few deaths). See

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/lion/
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/lion/outdoor.lion.html

Monique Y. Herman wrote:

All of the trails I ride on are part of mountain lion habitats. When I
remember that little fact, I generally pick up the pace to rejoin the
group. Guess that's a good thing.

Signs around those trails ask people to call in if they so much as see a
mountain lion -- I'm assuming that, if a mountain lion is forward enough
to even come near humans, there's probably something wrong with it.

These mountain lion safety tips may be of interest:

http://www2.ucsc.edu/police/liondoc1.html

Hey, that's my campus. You can read our lion sightings at
http://www2.ucsc.edu/police/lion3.html, even the chancellor saw one.
(Of course, she has a house with a nice picture window ...)

I've seen a mountain lion in Wilder Ranch this past year. Wish I'd
had a camera. Fortunately, it was more interested in avoiding me
than in eating me.

Slacker scribbled on a scrap of paper:
Dean A. Stepper wrote:


http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/oc...&month=1&day=8


[for those of us that hate registering for sites like that
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/010804_nw_mt_lion.html ]

Damn, I can't believe that. I just rode there the other weekend... I
love that little trail.
We were kicking at this one section, and I my buddy whispers at me,
bro, check that out." I look over and there's two deer out in broad
daylight feeding in a heavily used section of the trail. As I look
closer, I notice a few more of them, the whole family was out. I
thought this is really strange and a little spooky. I told my friend,
"C'mon, let's get out of here before we scare them, not to mention
they could be *someone's dinner".

I thought mountain lion attacks on adults were very, very rare ??
Anybody have/know any info about mountain lion habits?


just the other day I heard a very interesting news report on NPR about lions
in particular, especially in Boulder. It seems that they are getting
habituated to people, and that in some cased they are starting to view
humans as prey. There was a case cited in Boulder where a lion was stalking
some teens for several days at a high school, and then killed and ate them.
I may have my facts screwed up, but they were talking about a recent book
that really questions a lot of the thinking on lions, and looks at how
animals are changing their patterns with so much human life moving into
their habitats.

Penny

On 2004-01-09, Slacker penned:
Dean A. Stepper wrote:


[for those of us that hate registering for sites like that
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/010804_nw_mt_lion.html ]


All of the trails I ride on are part of mountain lion habitats. When I
remember that little fact, I generally pick up the pace to rejoin the
group. Guess that's a good thing.

Signs around those trails ask people to call in if they so much as see a
mountain lion -- I'm assuming that, if a mountain lion is forward enough
to even come near humans, there's probably something wrong with it.

These mountain lion safety tips may be of interest:

http://www2.ucsc.edu/police/liondoc1.html

As for your article, what a weird sentence:

"According to broadcast reports, the lion was being persistent and kept
trying to come back to claim its kill, possibly a female."

I assume the article should read, "The lion, possibly female, was being
persistent and kept trying to come back to claim its kill (the biker)."

--
monique

On 2004-01-09, Penny S penned:

just the other day I heard a very interesting news report on NPR about
lions in particular, especially in Boulder. It seems that they are
getting habituated to people, and that in some cased they are starting
to view humans as prey. There was a case cited in Boulder where a lion
was stalking some teens for several days at a high school, and then
killed and ate them. I may have my facts screwed up, but they were
talking about a recent book that really questions a lot of the
thinking on lions, and looks at how animals are changing their
patterns with so much human life moving into their habitats.


Ugh. Mountain lion stalkers.

Maybe this *wasn't* the year for me to start mountain biking ... in
Boulder ...

To make it even sweeter, if you're in a group, the lion will certainly
go after the smallest in the party ... so if you're a typically-sized
female, maybe invite a smaller friend that you wouldn't mind losing?

--
monique

I thought mountain lion attacks on adults were very, very rare ??
Anybody have/know any info about mountain lion habits?


just the other day I heard a very interesting news report on NPR
about lions in particular, especially in Boulder. It seems that they
are getting habituated to people, and that in some cased they are
starting to view humans as prey. There was a case cited in Boulder
where a lion was stalking some teens for several days at a high
school, and then killed and ate them. I may have my facts screwed up,
but they were talking about a recent book that really questions a lot
of the thinking on lions, and looks at how animals are changing their
patterns with so much human life moving into their habitats.

Penny


This reminded of another trail in the Santa Monica mountains a couple years
ago. I was riding solo. Something in the brushes was running thru them
following me for several miles. It freaked me out so much, I would stop
every so often, pick up some rocks and throw them into the bushes in hopes
of scaring the damn thing. I never did actually see it, but by the way it
moved, I was pretty sure it was a m lion.

And I thought I gave up feeling like someone's food when I stopped surfing.
--
Slacker

Monique Y. Herman wrote:
On 2004-01-09, Penny S penned:

just the other day I heard a very interesting news report on NPR
about lions in particular, especially in Boulder. It seems that they
are getting habituated to people, and that in some cased they are
starting to view humans as prey. There was a case cited in Boulder
where a lion was stalking some teens for several days at a high
school, and then killed and ate them. I may have my facts screwed
up, but they were talking about a recent book that really questions
a lot of the thinking on lions, and looks at how animals are
changing their patterns with so much human life moving into their
habitats.


Ugh. Mountain lion stalkers.

Maybe this *wasn't* the year for me to start mountain biking ... in
Boulder ...

To make it even sweeter, if you're in a group, the lion will certainly
go after the smallest in the party ... so if you're a typically-sized
female, maybe invite a smaller friend that you wouldn't mind losing?

lol !

BTW, congrats on the wedding plans. Sorry, but a man eating pussy just
reminded of the wedding ;~)
--
Slacker

"Monique Y. Herman" wrote in message
...
On 2004-01-09, Penny S penned:

just the other day I heard a very interesting news report on NPR about
lions in particular, especially in Boulder. It seems that they are
getting habituated to people, and that in some cased they are starting
to view humans as prey. There was a case cited in Boulder where a lion
was stalking some teens for several days at a high school, and then
killed and ate them. I may have my facts screwed up, but they were
talking about a recent book that really questions a lot of the
thinking on lions, and looks at how animals are changing their
patterns with so much human life moving into their habitats.


Ugh. Mountain lion stalkers.

Maybe this *wasn't* the year for me to start mountain biking ... in
Boulder ...

To make it even sweeter, if you're in a group, the lion will certainly
go after the smallest in the party ... so if you're a typically-sized
female, maybe invite a smaller friend that you wouldn't mind losing?

Pack a weapon in a shoulder holster.

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1580004

here's the story I heard on NPR