The mountain lion is one of nature’s perfect hunters. Long, lithe and full of power, this large cat prowls it’s territory with an uncanny sixth sense. It knows every single movement, sound and vibration. It can ascertain the perfect angle of attack, and finish the deal with deadly efficiency. The mountain lion has no natural enemies save for the occasional nose full of porcupine quills, and mankind. What happens when a mountain lion attacks?

As he slinks silently along the side of the mountain his whiskers and nose are constantly surveying the landscape around him. He feels every twitch, and hears every single sound that emanates from nature around him. His huge paws support one hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle from head to tail. Still, he is silent. The leaves are silent beneath his power, and not a twig snaps as he moves along. He senses movement from the other side of the bend, and begins to move closer to investigate.

Instinctively he moves up the side of the facing to get to a higher vantage point. He knows that he can leap up to forty feet down to his prey if needed, and the view from above allows him the stealth he is looking for. The mountain lion is very sneaky. He is not a direct attack predator as a rule. He likes to attack from behind or the side. The prey usually never sees him coming until it is too late.

The cougar positions himself behind a fallen tree and looks down to the moutain path below and the source of the rustling. Quickly his eyes and senses lock onto a large doe grazing for food along the trail. The cougar knows instinctively exactly how far away the doe is, and begins to plot his attack. As he has done for hundreds of years, he crouches low, gathering his saucer sized paws strongly underneath him. He digs his huge claws into the dirt beneath him, and his whiskers and nose judge the wind and scents floating along on it.

The doe turns away for only a few seconds to look across the horizon and the mountain lion attacks. Springing with incredible accuracy and grace, the mountain lion explodes from the crouch in a blinding fury of lean muscle and power. After two quick bounds and a final leap, the mountain lions claws come down on the doe’s shoulder. Simultaneously, the other claw grabs the doe around the neck. The swift move breaks the doe’s neck in a flash, and the cougar digs his teeth deep into the doe’s neck to kill it quickly. The doe had no idea the mountain lion was even there, much less that it now would be the cougar’s dinner.

The mountain lion attack took all of about twenty seconds from leap to death bite, and the mountain lion will eat well today.