Woman records extremely close call with giant wild cat while hiking: 'You are lucky'

Encounters between large carnivores and humans are occurring more often as these animals are forced out of their natural habitats and closer to ours.

A recent viral TikTok posted by Mariana Cabral (@marianascabral) showed her encounter with a large carnivore as she came across a wild cat while hiking. 

@marianascabral Surpresa na trilha #wtrek #wtrekpatagonia #trekking #patagonia ♬ Not Like Us - Kendrick Lamar

What happened?

Mariana was hiking in Patagonia when she nearly ran into a puma coming down the trail from the opposite direction. 

Mariana filmed the encounter while slowly backing away from the cat, which thankfully only sent her a look before going on its way. 

This isn't the first carnivore and human encounter in recent years, though, as people are encountering wild cats, bears, and other large carnivores in human territory more often. Unfortunately, not all encounters end as well as Mariana's. 

A study published in 2023 looked at 5,440 large carnivore attacks that happened between 1950 and 2019. The study found the number of attacks reported increased over the years, with 32% of these attacks being fatal and 68% resulting in injuries to humans.

Why are human encounters with carnivores concerning?

These encounters are concerning for several reasons. First and foremost, there's the potential for human injury or death if the animal attacks. Animals involved in attacks on humans may also be euthanized after the event, which can hinder conservation efforts. 

Also concerning is the fact that growth in the human population, destruction of animals' natural habitats, and shortages in animals' natural resources due to changes in the climate and extreme weather events are forcing wild animals to move from their homes to areas populated by people.

With increased proximity comes an increased risk of wild animal attacks or animals becoming reliant on people for food and losing their fear of humans.

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How can I help prevent human encounters with carnivores?

Protecting the environment around you is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of yourself or the people in your community encountering a large carnivore. Doing so will not only help lessen the number of large carnivores coming to humans for food but will promote biodiversity and help their natural ecosystems thrive so they aren't forced to move.

Another way to prevent encountering and risking an attack from a large carnivore is to take safety precautions when hiking or camping. Stick to groups in areas where carnivores are known to live, and avoid being in these areas during sunset or sunrise, as these are the times carnivores are most active. 

Whatever you do, never get close to a large carnivore if you see one. As one TikToker commented on the video: "Insanely cool and at the same time scary experience, you are lucky he is so chill and full."

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