A TikToker shared a scene befitting the opening credits of “The Lion King,” with a cougar playing the starring role.
What’s happening?
Tina M Hayes (@outwestbannockbites) uploaded the video from Alberta, Canada, to TikTok.
In the footage, a cougar majestically runs through a field, then bounds over a several-foot-high fence, lands on the road, and crosses into a forest.
“My husband was driving down the back road with his Hunter and they captured this beautiful cougar!” Hayes wrote in the caption. “Walking distance from our place!”
Hayes’ husband made the right call in giving the animal its space. As the Alberta government noted, while cougars are active all day, seeing them enter an area near humans or an open habitat during the day is not their typical modus operandi.
“They are way more common than you think,” a TikTok commenter noted.
Cougars showing up more in daylight likely point to habitat loss for the big cats, which is a growing threat to them.
Why is the cougar sighting important?
The cougar sighting serves as a reminder that we are encroaching on the habitats of animals like them. The Alberta government has told residents to call the Fish and Wildlife Office when they encounter them.
On the positive side, a thriving cougar population can mean that the animals they prey on, such as deer, elk, and moose, are doing well. Still, it’s bad news if these sightings become too commonplace.
There’s the potential for accidental road collisions. There’s also the possibility that the cougars prey on local domestic pets.
Attacks on humans are rare, and the guidance is to not scream, turn your back on them, or run. For children, especially, this could make the cougar mistake a human for prey.
What’s being done about the Alberta cougar population?
In 2024, the Alberta government approved expanded cougar hunting. The Narwhal reported that this move wasn’t science-based and didn’t establish that the population was actually growing in the area.
While the moves might benefit Alberta hunters, they could end up hurting the species in the long term with dubious justification. Wildlife experts suggest instead focusing on land conservation and habitat protection to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.
Hayes’ video shows that seeing these cougars can be awe-inspiring from a distance, but it’s best for everyone if we don’t get any closer.
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