A man camping with his family at Leo Carrillo State Park along the Malibu coast in California had a very close encounter with a mountain lion. The camper, Kevin, says he had headed to the ranger station in hopes of getting some cellphone service when the mountain lion suddenly came out of the bushes and walked right past him. From the security-camera footage, it looks like Kevin could have easily reached out and touched the cougar.
[RELATED: Mountain Lion Strolls Into Home, Meets Man in Kitchen]
Local KTLA 5 News obtained the security-camera footage from the state park, showing just how stealthy these animals can be. In fact, it looks like Kevin didn’t even notice the animal until it was right next to him. Thankfully, the cougar wasn’t interested in the man at all.
When camping and hiking in mountain-lion territory, it’s wise to carry a deterrent spray. Though often marketed as “bear spray,” deterrent spray is effective against other large animals besides bears, including mountain lions and moose.
Watch a mountain lion walk right by a camper in California here:
Header stock image by Pam Susemiehl/Getty Images
Best Bear (and Mountain Lion) Sprays
Learn more about bear sprays here.
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