Montoya was hiking to a wildlife trick tank on the top of Patos
Mountain in southeastern New Mexico when he noticed a mountain lion
watching him from on a rock bluff a few hundred yards from the tank.
While looking for a safe escape route back down the mountain, Montoya
noticed four more lions coming up the drainage toward him.
As he backed off the mountain, one of the lions suddenly appeared about
30 feet behind him, so he started yelling and waving his hard hat and
shovel in an effort to scare the lion off. Too cautious to attack, but
undaunted by Montoya’s display, the lion followed him down the
mountain, stopping when Montoya stopped. Montoya finally made it back
to his truck with the lion stopping at the edge of the tree line in
thick oak brush.
Montoya’s actions were excellent examples of what people should do if
they encounter a mountain lion. He looked for a safe escape route when
he first noticed the lions, making sure to stay out of any thick brush
or trees. When one of the lions closed the distance and walked toward
him, he made noise and made himself appear larger by waving his arms.
He then proceeded to back slowly away from the lion, maintaining
indirect eye contact
until he was in a safe place.
While wildlife attacks of any kind on people are rare in New Mexico,
there are some simple steps to follow if you find yourself in an
encounter with a mountain lion:
· Stop -- don’t run -- and slowly back away. Running may
stimulate a lion’s natural instinct to give chase and attack, as they
would normally do to their prey.
· Make noise by yelling or talking loudly, and make yourself
appear larger by raising your arms and waving them. If you have on a
jacket or coat, open it and spread it out with your arms to make your
silhouette larger.
· Convince the lion that you’re not prey by throwing rocks or
sticks at it in an effort to drive it off. Convince the lion that you
are dominant and a danger to it.
· If a lion attacks, fight back. Use anything you can as a weapon: rocks, sticks, backpacks, or your bare hands.
People shouldn’t be afraid to enjoy the outdoors in New Mexico.
However, it always is a good idea to be aware of your surroundings,
especially when hiking or camping in areas where prey species, such as
deer, may be concentrated. In this instance, the mountain lions --
probably a female with yearling kittens -- may have been waiting for
prey to come for water at the trick tank. Montoya just happened to show
up when the lions were still active.