TERRIFYING footage has captured the moment a mountain lion prowled through somebody’s backyard.
The huge cat was spotted on the homeowner’s security camera near Lake Lewisville in Frisco, Texas, last Friday.
Footage shows its eyes glowing in the dark while the animal scouts out the yard.
It then quickly darts its body around before dashing out of view.
Brent Blackwell said he woke up to an alert on his security camera Friday morning and reported it to the City of Frisco and The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
The TPWD confirmed the sighting on Monday.
“Typically, it’s not a big deal because normally it’s a rabbit (or) dogs have been sprayed by skunks,” Blackwell told NBC news.
“I played that video, zoomed in. That startled me and woke me up real fast.”
The homeowner said it was the size of the animal’s tail that made him uneasy.
“That’s where I kind of realized it’s not a bobcat,” he said.
A mountain lion’s tail is roughly two feet long, with males weighing up to 72kg.
TPWD said it is monitoring the area and residents are asked to report any sightings to the local wildlife biologist, Rachel Richter.
“It is likely that this mountain lion is just passing through and will not stay in the area for an extended period of time,” Frisco police said in a news release.
Sam Kieschnick, Urban Wildlife Biologist for TPWD, also said it’s unlikely the mountain lion will come back to the same spot.
He warned to stand your ground if it comes towards you.
“If it does come towards you, you want to make sure that you look like an aggressive organism, too,” he said.
“So, fighting back, making loud noises, looking as big as possible is the best thing that you can do.”
TPWD recommends residents do not allow children and small pets to play outside unsupervised.
It also advises people to stay calm but to fight back if necessary.
You should pick up any small children immediately, face the lion and stand tall.
Do everything you can to stay big and back away slowly.
Stay calm, talk calmly and move slowly.
What to do if you see a mountain lion
If a mountain lion approaches, you should:
- Pick up all children off the ground immediately.
- Do NOT approach the lion
- Stay calm. Talk calmly and move slowly.
- Face the lion and remain in an upright position.
- Do not turn your back on the lion. Back away slowly.
- Do NOT run.
- Do all you can to enlarge your image. Do NOT crouch down or try to hide
- If the lion is aggressive, throw rocks, sticks, or anything you can get your hands on.
- If the lion attacks, fight back. Fighting back can drive off lions.
Source: TPWD
