This was on the local news. Its a stones throw from where me and Loke live. Very popular hiking spot... I cant imagine how differently this could have turned out had it been a younger person or a child. Never seen a lion behave this aggressively:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU5zk7Q6ks4

-DallanC

he went to pick up its kitten....saw footage here too....I ACTUALLY THOUGHT mummy cat behaved very well,her stance was to shooo the fella away,its she had wanted to kill him...he would be dead.

I’m torn between “what a magnificent animal, I’d loved to see it” and “oh sh1t, oh sh1t, OH SH1T”

Whichever way, I’m glad that it wasn’t killed and that she obviously relocated her cubs to a safer area.

Elvis wrote:

he went to pick up its kitten....saw footage here too....I ACTUALLY THOUGHT mummy cat behaved very well,her stance was to shooo the fella away,its she had wanted to kill him...he would be dead.

I don't think he did - the kits were on the trail & one of them was inquisitive & ran towards him just as Momma came to see what's up.

Both Momma cat & him did the right thing in their minds.

I met a she bear on a forest track up in CO in similar circumstances back in 2008. Pleased they ran, as I was hunting & thus armed (rifle & 1911) but wished them no harm.
I'll admit to having something of an adrenaline overload...

I have run across a big male mountain lion (cougar) and as soon as you change your demeanor they run. The older the cat the more they know that you are not food. As he bent down she took off - that tells you that she was not about to attack him. That false attack with her front legs spread is a move to discourage an attack. If she was going to attack she would not have done that.
The one that raised my awareness level happened while I was hunting. I stopped to empty my bladder when a sow black bear scooted by about 20 yards away. I was hunting deer and had set my rifle down against a log to do my job. just as I finished a big boar black bear came out just a bit closer to me than the female had, and he stopped. The sow was just up hill from us and watching to see what was going to happen. We stood facing each other for long enough for me to wish I had my rifle in my hand but I had a 357 in my shoulder rig so I just slowly moved toward it as he watched me watching him. Then he turned and saw the sow and walked up after her. I watch as she led him up the hill and walked over to my rifle and walked on. I hope he got what he was after because I didn't get a deer that day.

This guy should be killed in the c**t at every opportunity. He IS a tool. My cousin has a brace of lion tracking dogs in Alberta and he could not believe the utter simple minded action of this idiot. I agree 100%.

I wonder why folks out in the wild aren't armed? I understand in this instance that the guy was at fault for messing with a kitten. But I see that TV show "I Was Prey" and wonder what they were thinking? I rarely go to the mailbox without a sidearm. The closest I've ever come to shooting in self defense was in my driveway, with someone's overly aggressive pit bull. I know some places don't allow their citizens the freedom of carrying a gun but wouldn't you at least carry a knife or walking stick?

All good points. It does make one wonder if the Darwin awards should be handed out when folks make dumb mistakes in the wilds. All the best...
Gil