Wildlife night cameras are a true show of what happens out there when we’re not looking. Because that’s when most wild animals are moving around. This video, posted to a Facebook page called Unguided, shows a mountain lion attacking a male deer as the deer drinks. It’s as if the cat bounds out of nowhere to go after a meal, showing off its incredible athleticism. “Happy opening day,” reads the caption. “Have a nice walk to your stand in the dark,” referencing the opening day of deer hunting season.
There’s no reference to where the video was taken. But it’s kind of a creepy reminder of what’s out there. In a side note, check out the skunk, walking to the left, that acts as if nothing is happening.
Mountain lions inhabit most regions of the United States and Canada and are both revered for their beauty, and feared for their aggressive behavior. But nonetheless, they are almost universally respected. Sadly, in Southern California recently, two mountain lions were found dead in the Santa Monica Mountains north of Los Angeles. Wildlife officials fear that both animals were killed after ingesting rat poison.
National Park Service officials sent out a press release in early October stating that these are the fourth and fifth lions to die because of poisoning during a long-term study of lions in Southern California. “Just about every mountain lion we’ve tested throughout our study has had exposure to these poisons, generally multiple compounds and often at high levels,” said Seth Riley, an ecologist and the wildlife branch chief for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. “A wide range of predators can be exposed to these toxicants – everything from hawks and owls to bobcats, coyotes, foxes, and mountain lions. Even if they don’t die directly from the anticoagulant effects, our research has shown that bobcats, for example, are suffering significant immune system impacts.”
