A man running along a common walking trail last Monday was cut short of his hike due to an encounter with a mountain lion. The Colorado lion was only one year old. Before the man had time to react, the lion quickly jumped on him and started to claw and bite. The man had no choice but to defend himself by strangling the young mountain lion. The following day officials confirmed that the wild animal was in fact suffocated. After further testing, the lion was tested for rabies, but luckily the results came back negative. Officials say the runner was taken to a hospital due to a few serious injuries. The man has was later released. Parks and wildlife officials say, “lions tend to avoid humans.” Although, in some cases, lions may feel endangered by humans so it is suggested to stay clear when hiking alone in the wild.
- Does hearing about a lion attack change your mind about using public trails?
Personally, this story does not make a difference in whether or not I would use public hiking trails. Knowing lion attacks rarely occur, my mind has not changed about using public trails. Because I don't live in an area where mountain lions live, I won't have to worry about getting attacked while hiking.
- Do you think the rangers patrolling the park could have done anything to make the trails safer?
In my opinion, I do not think the park trails could be made any safer. It is hard to control wild animals especially when humans are hiking in the animal's territory. Therefore, the only thing a park ranger can do is close the park when they see a lion. Also, signs could be posted to educate people on what to do if a wild animal is spotted.
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Good job overall! Be sure to capitalize key words in the title and also be sure to reply on three different days.
I would still use a public trail, since there are always risks involved in any hiking trail. I doubt there is anything a park employee could have done to prevent this from happening, since they can't keep track of every animal and every hiker in the prk at all times.
Hearing about a lion attack does not change my mind about using public trails because I feel that, usually, these trails are public for a reason, and it is very unlikely that an animal would attack me. Most often, these public trails are fairly safe, and I am not particularly frightended that an animal would attack me based on this incidence.
The lion attack does not change my mind on using public trails. It might make me be more aware of my surroundings. I think all the rangers can do is post signs to educate and warn of potential danger of wildlife in the area.
After reading about the lion attack I also think I would be more aware of my surroundings and I have not changed my mind about using public trails either. Putting up signs would help educate runners but there is really no way to stop the lions from attacking.
I think that I would still go on the trail if I was planning on it already. Mountain lions exist so it shouldn't be assumed that you will never encounter one. These lions are wild animals so you can't guess what they will do so how could the Rangers make it safer without taking away the wild trail experience.
You make a good point, I agree that lions are wild animals and are very unpredictable so as humans there is no knowing exactly what the lion might do if we were to encounter one. I also would not cancel my hiking plans just because of one lion attack.
1. No because the officials did say that those sorts of things don't happen often. I never go hiking much anyway so even if it did change my opinion it's not like I would hike anyless than I already do.
2. They might be able to put scents around the areas they want the lions to stay by so they don't wonder onto a path like what happened in the story.
Since this kind of accident does not happen often I would also still go on with my hiking trip without worrying about getting attacked. I think putting signs around the hiking areas where they know there might be lions to help hikers stay away from those areas.
No not really it doesn't change my mind because espically in Iowa you won't fine that many tigers on those trails so it shouldn't really make that big of a deal. No the rangers can't really do that much more to make the trails safer. It just happened and there is really not that much people can do to make the trails safer.
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