Mountain lion ambushes 70-year-old hiker in Utah canyon. He fought it off with rocks

A hiker fought off a mountain lion that ambushed him in a canyon in Utah by throwing rocks at it, wildlife officials say.

The 70-year-old man was hiking through a thick grove of juniper trees in Diamond Fork Canyon sometime between 1 and 3 p.m. April 27 when the cougar jumped at him and knocked him to the ground, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources outreach manager Scott Root told McClatchy News in a phone interview.

The man grabbed a rock and hurled it at the lion, Root said. The man reported it looked like a smaller lion that may not have been an adult.

Once the mountain lion was gone, the man hiked back down to his car and drove to a hospital, where he received treatment for lacerations on his arms, hands and his left leg, Root said. The man is in “fair condition.”

He had dropped his phone during the scuffle, Root said. Conservation officers with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources went out to search the area at about 6 p.m. the same day using canines. They found his phone but didn’t find the mountain lion.

The DWR contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, which also used tracking dogs to try to find the lion. Conservation officers from both agencies are still searching for the lion Friday, April 28, and while the canyon remains open to the public, officials said anyone venturing into the canyon should be cautious.

Officials posted signs notifying the public of the mountain lion activity and sighting.

Diamond Fork Canyon remains open, but the public should be cautious when recreating there in light of an April 27 cougar attack.

The division typically tries to relocate wildlife when possible, but because this mountain lion attacked a human it will be euthanized and tested for rabies upon capture, Root said.

“It’s very rare for cougars to attack people,” Root said. “Several factors may have contributed to this attack — a younger lion may not be as aware of humans, it could be it was simply startled or defending a kill. It could be a mother defending her kittens. There’s different reasons why an animal could be aggressive.”

Root suggested learning more about mountain lions in Utah via the cougar page on wildawareutah.org. The page warns against hiking alone and instead traveling in groups and making noise to avoid startling a lion.

“Fight back if you are attacked!” the guidance says. “If you are aggressive enough the cougar will probably flee.”

What to do if you see a mountain lion

Mountain lions are typically “calm, quiet and elusive,” according to the National Park Service. While attacks involving mountain lions are rare, they are possible.

“Even so, the potential for being killed or injured by a mountain lion is quite low compared to many other natural hazards,” the National Park Service said on its website. “There is a far greater risk, for example, of being killed in an automobile accident with a deer than of being attacked by a mountain lion.”

Officials said there are some things you do take to prevent a mountain lion encounter from becoming an attack.

Stay calm and back away slowly.
Face the lion and stand up straight.
Don’t approach a mountain lion, especially if it’s with kittens.
Don’t run. It could stimulate a mountain lion’s chase instincts.
Pick up small children so they don’t panic or run away.
Don’t bend over or crouch down.
Throw things at the mountain lion if it continues to move toward you.
If the mountain lion attacks, fight back using anything around you.
Report all sightings, encounters or attacks to local park rangers or law enforcement.