A recent video captured a thrilling moment for a wildlife photographer when his subject came to him. A mountain lion visited a house in Washington, and the photographer was ready to record the animal.
Check out the video:
The video starts with photographer Ben Babušis peeking around the corner of a bedroom door to see a mountain lion standing outside.
“There’s a cougar on my balcony!” says Ben in the clip.
The wild cat then dashes to another area of the home. Ben follows the animal as it continues to prowl just outside the house. The mountain lion looks very interested in what’s inside, but eventually moves on.
Ben then steps outside to continue recording. You can then see the cougar run into a wooded area, leaving the property. It then cuts to the outdoor cameras on the home to show even more footage.
“I’ve never seen a wild cougar in Washington with my own eyes, until this morning,” wrote Ben. “I was sitting at my computer when I heard a loud thump that slightly shook the house. I went to the bedroom to investigate and found a full-size cougar staring at me from the deck! It must have jumped 15 feet up there from the ground. Crazy!”
To many, the rare encounter is somewhere between amazing and a little nerve-racking.
A Visit From a Mountain Lion
So what should you do if you leave your home and you’re face-to-face with a mountain lion?
It’s important to remember that while cougars have occasionally attacked people, in general, they avoid humans. However, you still need to be careful. If a mountain lion is staring you down, start by yelling and throwing objects in the direction of the animal. More than likely, their instinct will be to flee. If a mountain lion does attack, you must fight back.
Find more tips from the U.S. Forest Service here.