Yellowstone National Park this week cautioned that while most bears are hibernating, winter visitors should still carry bear spray.
That’s because mountain lions, or cougars, are active year-round in the park.
“Though these big cats are extremely elusive and averse to human activity, you should always take care when recreating in the park — even in the winter,” the park explained via Instagram. “Carry bear spray and keep it handy, not inside your pack.
“If you see a cougar, ACT BIG! Yell, show your teeth, and make eye contact.”
Yellowstone cougar keeps watch from tree. Photo: NPS/Connor Meyer
Biologists estimate that as many as 42 cougars inhabit the park’s northern range, and that other cougars enter the park sporadically.
For comparison, the park is home to about 125 wolves, which are also active year-round.
But wolves, although they can be elusive, reside in packs and are more predictable, in terms of revealing their locations, than mountain lions.
From the park website: “Wolves are not normally a danger to humans, unless humans habituate them by providing them with food. No wolf has attacked a human in Yellowstone.”
Cougar encounters, while extremely rare