We've read the recent sad story from California:
Quote:
Two mountain lions shot after man is attacked in state park
1/26/2007
Two mountain lions were shot and killed after one of them, it is believed, attacked a man who was hiking with his wife in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Jim and Nell Hamm, of Fortuna, were hiking on the Brown Creek trail at approximately 3 p.m. when Jim, 70, was attacked....
“The victim’s wife (who is 65) was able to fight off the mountain lion with a tree branch and ink pen,” he said, adding that she was uninjured during the attack.
The Eureka Reporter - Article |
The Cougar Foundation just sent me this e-mail:
Quote:
Dear M.,
A recent attack by a mountain lion has highlighted the importance of education and preparation for living and recreating in mountain lion habitat.
While hiking with his wife in a California state park on Wednesday, Mr. Jim Hamm was attacked by a mountain lion. Armed with a stick and a ballpoint pen, Nell Hamm, age 65, successfully fought off the lion and saved her husband's life.
I sent this statement to the news agencies earlier today:
"Mr. and Mrs. Hamm did everything right. They respected their environment, recognized the risk, prepared themselves, and when the very rare incident occurred, they reacted with confidence and strength As a result, Mr. Hamm is recovering and we are grateful.
This highlights the importance of being prepared when living and recreating in mountain lion habitat. California has one of the lowest per capita rates of mountain lion attacks in the country and could serve as a model for other western states. For more on this subject, please go to www.pumaconservation.org."
I want you to know you make a difference. Every day hikers go into the wild armed with the information they need to be as safe as possible.
Your financial support of the Mountain Lion Foundation, and every time you share our message, helps us prepare people to feel safer.
Helping people live safely helps mountain lions live more safely too. We appreciate your support.
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Is it just me, or is that just really...strange? As in "down-the-rabbit-hole" strange?
The Hamms "did everything right?" They carried a ball point pen as protection against a cougar? And that's why Mr. Hamm is recovering? More like the grace of God and a very brave wife, I would say.
So a 65-year-old woman fighting off a cougar with a stick and a pen is The Cougar Foundation's idea of "doing everything right" and now we should all feel safer, right?
If the Hamms were "prepared" to the satisfaction of The Cougar Foundation, then I guess we all ought to just carry ball point pens and "prepare" to be scalped, as Mr. Hamm was.
So Mr. Hamm's horrendous ordeal is cited as support that The Cougar Foundation "prepares people to feel safer?"
So we should now send The Cougar Foundation money, because someone just about got killed by a cougar?
May I suggest that one needs to be armed with more than just 'information' to be "as safe as possible" from cougars?
If not a LARGE GUN, at least a stout hunting knife and a can of pepper spray would be wise.
Why aren't the Internet sites on cougars saying that? Why isn't The Cougar Foundation saying that?
They will someday....
"Be prepared for me--carry a ball point pen."