My main objective with this post is to see if the functionality of my blog here on Vivaldi.net is working “as advertised”. With that said, my home is a few thousand feet below a wilderness area that overlooks the Salt Lake Valley. At this time of year, many people gather at the mouth of the canyon to look through binoculars and spotting telescopes at the herd of Mountain Goats that live year-round among the high peaks of the Wasatch Mountains. This is what they see:
What is not seen are the Mountain Lions (Cougar) that feed on them when they are not eating the neighborhood dogs and cats. In a few weeks, the rattlesnakes will be coming out of their winter hidey-holes, along with the Voles, Raccoons, a pack of Coyotes that serenade us sometimes in the evening (especially when the Moon is full), and a small herd of Mule Deer than come down out of the White Pine forests to eat the neighbor’s shrubs.
Enjoyed your piece. Is that your photograph? If so… I’m very impressed. 🙂
Hi, James; thanks for the visit. Someone else took the photo.
what a nature you have ! great
Hi, catse; thanks for your visit and comments. A Mountain Lion came down into the neighborhood two days ago, and was lurking around the elementary school (perhaps stalking the children). It hasn’t been caught yet, but it is a common occurrence, and the wildlife people dart them and take them back up into the mountains for release. It is a never-ending cycle, but Mountain Lions have their rights, too.
it’s the name “cougar ” ?
i read ” in Argentina farmers adopt some and let them freedom in farming where the animal proves player and friendly.” …..maybe you can do the same 😉
Hi again, Cat; I have never seen a Cougar that was friendly or could be tamed. Maybe they teach them to Samba in Argentina! 😉
When I was in high school (almost 40 years ago), one day an alumnus walked in during lunch with a cougar cub.I would never make the mistake of calling it tame but as long as no one tried to make it do what it didn’t want to do it was reasonably … civil I suppose. Fortunately I was the only one in the hallway (everyone else was in the gym or cafeteria) so you didn’t have a bunch of teenagers mobbing the cub … and I may truthfully call it a cub but it was like twice the size of a house cat and thus could have done lots of damage if it thought it needed to.
Wild animals don’t normally go out of their way to attack humans – indeed most try to avoid humans. If the animal is used to humans then they won’t be avoiding them so much … and also not be so suspicious if you bring them a free lunch.
Friendly? As long as you respect them. And yes cats can attach to one particular person and allow that person to scratch their head and otherwise pet/groom them. (Most cats I know are ecstatic to have someone scratch around their ears. Even if their owner says they don’t like strangers, they can become quite affectionate after that.) But if you try to push them, they will push back …
generally they avoid men , except if men disturb their habitat and they do not have enough to eat
i think the argentines learn ’em tango 🙂
Hi sgunhouse, thanks for the visit and your comments. Humans need to learn their place in the planet’s overall ecosystem; it is only in our own minds that we are the superior species or the apex of evolution. We have no right to populate all of the available habitats.
This schematic picture from xkcd is startling. The wild animals are vanishing:
http://xkcd.com/1338/
in france it’s worst because it’s a small country , the wildlife is shrinked away fast ! totaly agree with this picture Geir