Mountain lions — also known as cougars, pumas or panthers — are confirmed to have established wild populations in 16 U.S. states, with all but one (Florida) lying to the Mississippi River’s west.
States with large mountain lion include Colorado, with Colorado Parks and Wildlife estimates reaching as high as 7,000, though the agency noted the total was more likely from around 3,500 to 4,500, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation. Texas is among the other 15 states on the list and its mountain lion population is also uncertain. (RELATED: Gargantuan Bison Nearly Clips Yellowstone Tourists After Charging At Them In Scary Video)
Mountain lions’ territory spans mainly in the southwestern region of Texas, home to Big Bend National Park, per BroBible. Hikers exploring that vast roughly 1,250-square-mile area are warned to stay alert for mountain lions, and a few were doing just that when they suddenly found themselves being stared down by one while on the trail.
Three hikers who set out before dawn Saturday on the Boot Canyon Trail got more than they bargained for when a mountain lion suddenly bolted across the path in front of them, according to the Houston Chronicle. It climbed a nearby hill and paused to stare back at the group — a moment the hikers managed to capture on video.
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Joey Thometz, one of the three, told the Houston Chronicle he and his friends began shouting and banging their poles on the ground.
The tactic worked, with the mountain lion eventually going back into the brush. Once it was gone, the shaken hikers continued their trek and reported the big cat sighting to a volunteer at the park.