What To Do If You Meet A Mountain Lion In Wyoming

Wyoming's population is interesting. There are only 37 towns in the state with more than 2,000 people, meaning there are 155 communities with fewer people than the state of Wyoming has mountain Lions.

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It's a little bit weird to think about it like that, but when you sit back and think of Greybull, and instead of people living there, it's just mountain lions. Let that sink in for a second.

I know people who think mountain lions are just larger versions of house cats, and if they had the opportunity, they'd like to pet one. Just so we're clear, that's NOT A GOOD IDEA.

READ MORE: Wyoming's Dangerous Animals List

I'm fairly certain that those people aren't aware of how big a mountain lion can actually be, and if they knew, they'd think twice about ever wanting to come into contact with one. Here are a couple of statistics to help you judge the size of a wittle mountain kitty.

If an adult male mountain lion were standing on its back legs, it would be taller than about 85% of NBA players. Yep, a sweet little male mountain lion can stand over 7 feet tall, and can reach up to 9 feet.

Last night, while scrolling on Facebook, I came across this video and thought, "HOLY CRAP!"

I'm not telling you this to scare you; I'm telling you this so that you never let your guard down when you're in the wild. It's called 'the wild' for a reason, and being prepared for those instances you thought you'd never have to deal with can save your life.

According to the National Park Service if you see a lion:

• Stay calm. Hold your ground or back away slowly. Face the lion and stand upright.
• Do not approach a lion. Never approach a mountain lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
• Do not run from a lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion's instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have small children with you, pick them up, if possible, so they don't panic and run. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without bending over or turning away from the mountain lion.
• Do not crouch down or bend over. Biologists surmise mountain lions don't recognize standing humans as prey. On the other hand, a person squatting or bending over looks a lot like a four-legged prey animal. If you're in mountain lion habitat, avoid squatting, crouching, or bending over, even when picking up children.