BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas — Some hikers at Texas’ Big Bend National Park recently had a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a mountain lion as it tracked its prey – and the moment was caught on camera.
According to USA Today, Robert Turner captured the footage March 26 during a hike along the park’s Pinnacles Trail. In the video, a cougar can be seen moving slowly on the path as a deer walks in the woods nearby.
“I’m not taking my eyes off this guy,” Turner tells the other hikers, who stopped to watch. “He wants nothing to do with us.”
Moments later, the big cat goes in for the kill, dashing into the woods and outside the camera’s view, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The attack can be heard in the distance as the hikers react in amazement.
Turner later shared the video on YouTube, where it quickly went viral, racking up nearly 270,000 views by Monday morning.
According to the National Park Service, hikers who encounter a mountain lion should remain calm and avoid approaching or running from the animal. Hikers also should not bend over or crouch, officials said. If the cougar continues to move toward you, “do all you can to appear intimidating,” the NPS website advises.
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