The large cats can be found throughout the state, usually in the foothill and canyon areas, but also sometimes down in the valleys when they follow food-seeking deer to lower elevations. The Division of Wildlife Resources said trends of population data indicate that cougar numbers in Utah have been growing steadily for the last few years.
The main prey of cougars is deer, so they can be found wherever deer are, according to the DWR. They will also eat elk, pronghorn, small mammals and sometimes birds. After making a kill, a cougar will often hide or cache the carcass by covering it with soil, leaves or snow, saving it to feed on later.
“People are the most likely to encounter cougars in areas frequented by mule deer and during the early morning and at dusk, when cougars are most likely to be hunting,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Game Mammals Coordinator Darren DeBloois said.
The DWR said there are a few ways to help prevent conflicts with cougars:
- Do not hike or jog alone.
- Maintain awareness in cougar country while hiking or jogging and avoid using headphones that block out your surroundings.
- Travel in groups and keep everyone together, including children and dogs.
- Make noise while hiking to alert cougars of your presence.
- Leave the area if you find a dead animal, especially deer or elk, since it could be a cougar kill.
- If you live in an area near deer habitat, children should not be left outside unattended, especially at dawn and dusk.
- As a deterrent, install outside and motion-sensitive lighting around your property.
- Trim vegetation and remove wood piles to reduce hiding places for wildlife.
- Bring pets and livestock inside at night or secure them in a barn or kennel with a top.
In the rare event that you do encounter a cougar, the DWR shared some tips to help keep you safe:
- Never run from a cougar, that could trigger the cougar’s instincts to chase.
- Maintain eye contact.
- Pick up children and pets or keep them very close.
- Stand up tall.
- Do not crouch or squat.
- Make yourself look bigger by raising and waving your arms or jacket above your head.
- Talk firmly in a loud voice, back away slowly and leave the area.
- Fight back if you are attacked! Protect your head and neck.
- If you are aggressive enough, the cougar will probably flee.
“Typically, a cougar that is trying to prey on something will sneak up and ambush them,” DeBloois said. “When a cougar lunges or bluffs a charge at someone, they are typically just trying to drive them out of the area because they have kittens or a kill nearby that they are trying to protect.”
There has been an increase in cougar sightings over the last few years, due to an increase in cougar numbers, an increase in doorbell and security cameras, and an increase in the number of people moving into cougar and deer habitat areas.
The DWR said people should report a cougar sighting if:
- It has killed something in a neighborhood or yard.
- It exhibits aggressive behavior.
- It appears several times on your security cameras.
If you capture footage of a cougar on security cameras one time or see one from a distance in foothill areas, you do not need to report it. One-time sightings of cougars are typically when the animal is moving through an area, and it has often left by the time DWR biologists and conservation officers can respond.
For more safety tips from the DWR, visit the Wild Aware Utah website.
