Safety in the Domain of the Mountain Lion

The California Department of Fish and Game recommends the following steps for anyone entering mountain lion country or coming into contact with a lion:

Do not hike alone. Groups are safer.

Keep children close to adults and always within sight. Observations of captured lions suggest they are drawn to children.

Do not approach a lion. Most will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a route of escape.

Do not run away. Running may stimulate a lion’s instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have small children, pick them up so they won’t panic and run.

Do not crouch or bend over. A person squatting or bending may look more like four-legged prey.

Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you are wearing one. Throw stones, branches or whatever you can reach without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice. The idea is to convince the animal that you are not prey and may be a danger to it.

Fight back if attacked. A hiker in Southern California used a rock to fend off a mountain lion that was attacking his son. Others have fought back successfully with sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools and their bare hands. Try to remain standing and prevent the lion from getting behind you, where it could reach the back of your neck.

The Department of Fish and Game asks anyone involved in a face-to-face encounter to make a report.

The Los Angeles-area office is at 330 Golden Shore, Suite 50, Long Beach, 90802. The phone is (209) 222-3761. Hours are Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, call the nearest sheriff’s station.

In the San Fernando Valley, reports can also be made to the Los Angeles Department of Animal Regulation’s West Valley Animal Care and Control Center at 20655 Plummer St. The phone is (818) 882-8800.

Residents of areas where mountain lions range can get information on “wildproofing” their property in a pamphlet published by the Wildlife Waystation, 14831 Little Tujunga Canyon Road, Angeles National Forest, Calif. 91342. The phone is (818) 899-5201.