SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, May 24, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) -- State wildlife officials are offering tips on what to expect, and do, if you encounter one of the state's several thousand mountain lions, aka, cougars or pumas.
"Mountain lions can be found all over Utah!' the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources advises. "If you spend time outdoors this summer, you may come across one of these elusive predators.
"Check out our safety tips on how to prevent conflicts with these animals and what to do if you encounter one..
"Cougars, mountain lions, pumas: They have several different names. While cougar attacks are quite rare in the U.S., there is always the chance you may see a cougar on your doorbell camera footage or while you are out hiking this summer."
The DWR's 2015-2025 Cougar Management Plan estimates the state's cougar census at 2,528 to 3,936. An average of 421 Utah cougars die each year from hunts, via about 1,000 single-kill permits; traffic accidents; or after livestock depredation action.
"If you do happen to encounter a cougar," the DWR says, "there are a few simple steps you can take to keep yourself safe."
Prevent cougar conflicts
- Do not hike or jog alone.
- Maintain awareness in cougar country while hiking or jogging, and avoid using headphones that block out your surroundings.
- Travel in groups and keep everyone together, including children and dogs.
- Make noise while hiking to alert cougars of your presence.
- Leave the area if you find a dead animal, especially deer or elk, since it could be a cougar kill.
- If you live in an area near deer habitat, do not leave children outside unattended, especially at dawn and dusk.
- As a deterrent, install outside and motion-sensitive lighting around your property.
- Trim vegetation and remove wood piles to reduce hiding places for wildlife.
- Bring pets and livestock inside at night or secure them in a barn or kennel with a top.
In the rare event that you do happen to encounter a cougar, here are some tips to help keep you safe:
- Never run from a cougar, since that could trigger the cougar's instincts to chase.
- Maintain eye contact.
- Pick up children and pets or keep them very close.
- Stand up tall.
- Do not crouch or squat.
- Make yourself look bigger by raising and waving your arms or jacket above your head.
- Talk firmly in a loud voice, back away slowly and leave the area.
- Fight back if you are attacked! Protect your head and neck.
- If you are aggressive enough, the cougar will probably flee.
The main prey of cougars is deer, so they can be found wherever deer are. They will also eat elk, pronghorn, small mammals and sometimes birds. After making a kill, a cougar will often hide or cache the carcass by covering it with soil, leaves or snow, saving it to feed on later.
People are most likely to encounter cougars in areas frequented by mule deer, and at dawn and dusk, which is when cougars typically hunt, DWR Game Mammals Coordinator Darren DeBloois said.
"Typically, a cougar that is trying to prey on something will sneak up and ambush them," DeBloois said. "When a cougar lunges or bluffs a charge at someone, they are typically just trying to drive them out of the area because they have kittens or a kill nearby that they are trying to protect."
When to report sightings
There has been an increase in cougar sightings over the last few years, due to an increase in doorbell and security cameras and an increase in the number of people moving into cougar and deer habitat areas.
You should report a cougar sighting if:
- It has killed something in a neighborhood or yard.
- It exhibits aggressive behavior.
- It appears several times on your security cameras.
If you capture footage of a cougar on security cameras one time or see one from a distance in foothill areas, you do not need to report it. One-time sightings of cougars are typically when the animal is moving through an area, and it has often left by the time DWR biologists and conservation officers can respond.
For more safety tips, visit the Wild Aware Utah website.
