“Go away! I’m big and scared!” Burgess speaks between swear words. “What’s going on? Nice and slow.”
The excited cat follows Burgess for 6 minutes, and Burgess yells and growls at the animal.
“Okay, this is when I (explain) die,” he says. “Come on, friend. I don’t think I’ll die today.”
In the full video, Burgess did not turn his back on the animal while continuing to rush and hiss. Finally he throws a rock at the cougar and she runs away and reassures him.
“Wow, it just woke up,” said Burgess into the camera when he could finally take a break. “It’s actually a bit calmer. Yes, it doesn’t go back that way.”
Burgess told the newspaper that when he returned to the car there were no traces of mom and cubs, and after a terrifying ordeal he was safe.
“My feelings were mixed up,” he said. “So it’s kind of…’K, well, this is going in one of two ways. What’s the result?'”
The post provided the following suggestions in case you had such a meeting on your own.
- stop. Do not run away from cougars and do not approach cougars.
- Maintain eye contact with animals
- stand up
- Do not crouch or squat
- Raise your arm or jacket over your head and shake it to make yourself look bigger.
- Speak firmly in a loud voice and slowly step back
- Pick up children and pets or keep them very close.
- If you get attacked, fight back! Protect your head and neck
Cougars are a protected species in Utah. They are usually shy.