When Callie Russell came across a mountain lion staring at her from up in a tree, she had the opposite reaction a lot of people would have. Rather than feeling intimidated, she seems positively thrilled to see the animal there, calling it a “deep honor” to lock eyes with the intelligent predator.
Russell recorded a video of herself in front of the tree with the mountain lion in the background, and the video got a lot of attention online.
“Look who’s here,” Russell says with a wide smile. She then points to the mountain lion in the tree and whispers: “Hello beautiful.”
Russell isn’t new to being in wild places and occasionally coming face to face with wild animals. She was one of the final contestants on season seven of Alone, a survival TV show in which players try to survive alone in the wilderness for as long as possible with minimal equipment.
In her video’s caption on Instagram, Russell wrote:
“There was a time, long ago, when I was afraid of the large wild predators, mostly when I slept in wild places by myself, with no tent, or anything separating me from them, over the years, I have had several close encounters with mountain lions, bears, and wolves, and now I do not have any fear for them, just deep reverence and respect. It feels like a gift to be in their presence.”
See Russell’s reaction to spotting a mountain lion staring at her from up in a tree: