Nature/Wildlife photographer Daniel Bradford from Montana captured this rare and amazing footage of a mountain lion, he used a hand call which brought the big cat to him and the encounter resulted in these stunning images. By the look on the cats face she clearly didn’t notice him until she got close. There appears no threat, but more curiosity on the cats part and a stealthy retreat when that curiosity is satisfied.

Mountain Lion encounter in Montana – Daniel Bradford

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It’s good to remember that mountain lions are generally trying to avoid people however the Mountain Lion Foundation recommends ” If you do see a mountain lion, no matter how thrilled you are to be one of the very few who gets such an opportunity, stay well back, and take the encounter seriously.”

Image – Wikipedia

Quick Cat facts

• A cat with many names, the mountain lion is also known as cougar, shadow cat, ghost cat, catamount, panther, and screamer.
• The largest native American cat shares the shape of its nose, its wide skull, and its short face with the small cats.
• The species does not roar in the manner of lions and leopards, but purrs like the smaller cats.
• The puma has unusually long hind legs adapted for jumping and bursts of high-speed. They can leap 20 feet straight up a cliff and can perform downhill leaps of 30 to 40 feet.
• The geographic range of the puma is the largest of any terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. It reaches from Canada, through areas of the United States, and down through Central and South America.
• This solitary cat travels extensively while hunting, killing and eating prey that ranges in size from mice to moose.
• The puma can swim and climb trees when needed, often taking refuge in trees when pursued by dogs.
• Threats to the puma include loss of habitat, habitat fragmentation, habitat destruction, sport hunting and retaliatory killing of puma when puma kill humans or livestock.

Source – Felidae Conservation Fund