The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says while cougar attacks are rare, encounters with the predators can happen. Cougars can be found throughout Utah, but are most often seen in the foothills and canyon areas. They are also often found in areas with deer, which are their main prey.
To prevent cougar conflicts while hiking, DWR recommends making noise to alert the large cats to your presence and avoid using headphones or going alone.
For locals living near deer habitat, the division also recommends installing motion-sensitive lighting and removing wood piles to reduce hiding places for wildlife.
In the rare event someone encounters a cougar, they should maintain eye contact, make themselves look bigger by waving their arms or holding a jacket about their head and talk firmly in a loud voice while backing away slowly.
The division says cougars usually flee when facing aggressive behavior like this.
DWR says cougar sightings should be reported only if the predator killed something in a neighborhood, exhibits aggressive behavior or appears several times on security cameras.
