CO hiker serenades lion for protection

[Emily]

A Colorado hiker apparently shooed off an unwelcome lion stalking her by singing opera tunes!Colorado hiker sings opera to scare off aggressive mountain lion!

from UPI
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2014/08/13/ ... =sec&or=on

Kyra Kopenstonsky was hiking a trail near Down Valley Park in Placerville.
By Evan Bleier | Aug. 13, 2014 at 8:49 AM | 5 Comments


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A mountain lion cub. (File/UPI Photo/Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo) | License Photo

PLACERVILLE, N.J., Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The mountain lion attack is over when the hiking lady sings.

A Colorado woman was hiking a trail near Down Valley Park in Placerville when she noticed that a mountain lion had started stalking her.

"I turned around and looked, and then [the mountain lion] was just standing there between 10 and 15 feet away from me," Kyra Kopestonsky told 9NEWS.

The 40-year-old grabbed a tree branch to make herself appear threatening to the cat, but when that visual tactic didn't work, she went with an aural assault.

"I don't know why, I just started singing opera really loud," Koestonsky said. "It kind of put its ears down and just kept looking at me, and it sort of backed away. Then, it came around the bushes and came towards me again and crouched about 10 feet away."

The lion would intermittently groom itself and then lunge at Koestonsky, but it eventually wandered away.

The San Miguel County Sheriff's Office had been alerted about the situation by Koestonsky's housemate and deputies met her at the trailhead.

The SMSO reported this is only the second stalking situation they have dealt with.

"We're glad this turned out to be nothing more than a frightening experience for the hiker," Sheriff Bill Masters said in a press release. "She is obviously educated as to what to do in this unexpected situation."


Read more: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2014/08/13/ ... z3AqyAJuGy

[Rimrock]

I think I would leave too.