Stupid is, stupid does.....

[Mikey]

I just can't believe the stupidity of some people....


Mountain lion attacks Orange County hiker

By Mike Anton, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 7, 2008
A mountain lion attacked a hiker in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park early today after he went to pet one of the cougar's three cubs, Orange County authorities said.

The Foothills Ranch area man, whose identity was not immediately available, was taken to a hospital and treated for scratches on his arm, said Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino.
 
Signs throughout the park warn that mountain lions live in the foothill wilderness. In 2004, a mountain biker was killed and another severely injured by a cougar in Whiting Ranch. The death of Mark Reynolds, 35, of Foothill Ranch, was the first in Orange County history and the only one statewide since 1994.

Today's attack happened about 8:30 a.m. a mile up the Borrego Trail. The hiker told authorities he came across a female lion and three cubs that he estimated were about 8 weeks old.

"He said they seemed so cute and cuddly and passive," Amormino said.

When he went to pet one of the cubs, the mother lunged at him -- and then ran off.

Sheriff's deputies, park rangers, and state Fish and Game officials are searching for the cougars on foot and by air. The park has been closed for the search, and a nearby elementary school has also been placed on lockdown, meaning that no one is allowed outside.

While mountain lions that have contact with humans "are generally put down," Amormino said he has contacted a San Diego wildlife sanctuary that has agreed to take the lion and her cubs if they can be tranquilized and caught.

[Kittyzee]

THat absolutely infuriates me...a mother doing what any mother (human or otherwise) would do may be put down because of the stupidity of some idiot who thought that those kittens were cute and cuddly!!  Of course they're cute and cuddly--THEY'RE KITTENS!!      I hope they can relocate the whole family away from the senseless human population.  Although, I wonder where in the world would that be? :'(

[miguynmkoi]

The Hiker should be put down!  Where has his head been?  How does he know how to estimate anything if he can't account for his own stupidity?  There have been so many articles about the mountain lions attacking and killing bikers, etc.  We have encroached on their property.  I hope Stupid gets to pay a BIG fine for being such an idiot.

[Sandye]

That man is not only stupid, he is incredibly stupid!!!     You would think that anyone over the age of five would know not to mess with ANY wild animal's babies.   

[Esther]

Too bad that mother didn't teach him more of a lesson.

[EagleEye]

A couple weeks ago, I went on a 600 mile gravel road ride on my dirt bike with a group and on the first gravel road south of Galena IL., a lion ran across the road in front of our group. It then ran along side of us in the field for a bit before we lost track of it.
Pretty Cool.

Steve

[miguynmkoi]

SO now the authorities think this guy may have made the whole story up....I wouldn't be surprised.

[Mikey]

The story didn't make a whole lot of sense to me because of the recent prior history of that area.  Since a man was killed by a lion and a woman severely mauled by a lion on the same day back in 2004 in this very same area why would he even approach a lion?  I've hiked the area, before it was recently burned over, and the lion warning signs are very visible and since this knucklehead lives in the area he must know of the danger.  I was quite surprised that he was able to find the "kittens" since mom likely had them well concealed and also surprised that the female didn't kill him or at least give him a good thrashing. 

Since they are now questioning his injuries, I wonder if his injuries are the result of his falling into some of the beaver-tail cactus that grows all over that area.....  Hmmm....  In any event, he's still a complete jerk.....

[LeeAnne151]

Oh, I hope this moron is making it up so that there is not a mother and cubs removed from the wild.

[Esther]

When we were in Yellowstone several years ago, there were signs all over the place warning people about the "wild" animals and not to feed them. We actually saw a man get arrested by the park police for feeding, well here we call them crows. But there they looked like larger crows. Then up on the mountain at a lookout, we saw people feeding ground squirrels and you could tell they were used to being fed. Eventually we saw a bunch of elk way off the beaten track grazing. Then we wondered why people were standing watching this herd and pointing. Then we saw an idiot out there close to the herd with a camera, approaching one of the elk. The elk was facing him and I saw it put it's head down and paw, or would it be hoof, the ground. I said, "Get out of there you idiot." Of course he couldn't hear me but he did finally read the body language of the animal and backed away and left his search for a subject for his photography.

People are stupid sometimes.

[Jerry]

get this guy out of the Gene pool!

[Mikey]

Those crows Esther were likely Ravens....... sort of a big crow...

[karen J]

The story didn't make a whole lot of sense to me because of the recent prior history of that area.  Since a man was killed by a lion and a woman severely mauled by a lion on the same day back in 2004 in this very same area why would he even approach a lion?  I've hiked the area, before it was recently burned over, and the lion warning signs are very visible and since this knucklehead lives in the area he must know of the danger.  I was quite surprised that he was able to find the "kittens" since mom likely had them well concealed and also surprised that the female didn't kill him or at least give him a good thrashing. 

Since they are now questioning his injuries, I wonder if his injuries are the result of his falling into some of the beaver-tail cactus that grows all over that area.....  Hmmm....  In any event, he's still a complete jerk.....

Hummm. Me thinks you are on to something. Still, people can be very ... stupid.
Maybe he needed his 15 minutes of fame to impress his friends or girlfriend.

[LeeAnne151]

Someone was gored recently in Yellowstone for approaching a Bison too close. They aren't cows ......