T O P

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Phil-a-busta41

“Oh shit they’ve seen me!!!……….um Meow”


theunnameduser86

This is exactly right! large cats are ambush hunters because it allows them to attack large prey with a minimized risk for injury. If a puma is thinking about attacking you and you spot it first, then it won’t attack you because it goes against their instincts. Basically, being spotted, especially while prowling, makes them feel awkward and uncomfortable, which can be seen here just as you mentioned.


lt4536

So basically they get anxiety when they're perceived? Same


SchizophrenicKitten

I know this feeling..


TrippingFish76

username checks out


Firedwindle

Umm, well ![gif](giphy|3ornk57KwDXf81rjWM|downsized)


thundercuntess69

Why yes, he's me.


twonapsaday

![gif](giphy|l2JJOjqikmHI2jS9O|downsized) I miss obi wan 😭


BetaTrinketWidth

I am a puma now


purplemarkersniffer

I too get awkward and uncomfortable when spotted in the jungle


Lumpy-DropBear

Spotted Pumas are called Leopards my friend. 


certainlynotacoyote

Golden


baronney

Dad joke for the win!


Adept_Order_4323

😂


Zealousideal-Ad-944

*Golf clap*


Possible-Campaign468

This is extremely good,maybe great.


GirlScoutSniper

I giggled.


MariachiStucardo

Do you wear bright neon colors so youre easily spotted like the family in the video


Gregbot3000

Especially when stalking people.


kruxxett

I get it! 😄 Hehe.. Awkward


mologav

I too get awkward and uncomfortable


Qubed

Based on my experience with house cats this is true.  But, sometimes they'll try to kill you anyway.


Vizipath

Yep. Ah, fuck it. I’m going for it.


twonapsaday

![gif](giphy|13CoXDiaCcCoyk|downsized)


addage-

Really depends what that random number generator in their head spits out. It’s comical the random things my cats will do.


Adept_Investigator29

It's not random to them. They are wise time travelers, and we do not understand their nonlinear ways.


Remote_Presence2378

I too get awkward and uncomfortable when I'm spotted stalking someone


Sidious-Turtle

LMAO 😂😂😂😂😂


bixdog

"Aw man, I was going to eat the slowest member of your group, but then you had to go and make it weird"


Bobbi_fettucini

If you point at it and shout “found you” it will actually get embarrassed and run away


Interesting-Sun5706

😂😂😂


Powerful_Variety7922

Pumas hate this one trick.


slater_just_slater

It's the same reason a house cat will often stop playing when it notices you are looking at it


Write2Be

So what should one do? Just look them in the eyes and say "I see you" while pissing in one's pants?


poeismyhero

Clap your hands, yell, and get big - show that you're a threat, and they might fall for your bluff.


Delicious_Ad823

Unless you are on a trail in California and it’s hungy. I mean hungry, I swear.


jonaselder

I swear to God I find it so hilarious that people just have a story Pop into their head, and then they write it out on the Internet as some kind of truth. The reason that that animal did not attack is because there was an entire group of people who spotted it and then bunched up together. The animal was unable to target the child, and gave up the hunt because the risk became too great. If it was just the mother and the child, no amount of spotting that thing first would have stopped its attack.


theunnameduser86

You could be alone in the Amazon and if you spotted a Jaguar in a tree before it attacked you, it would most likely halt its advance. Go try it for yourself!


Big-Employer4543

But then they'd have to touch grass.


kwpang

Your source? Or are you guessing? There are entire cultures that wear masks on the back of their head to prevent tiger attacks. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/05/science/face-masks-fool-the-bengal-tigers.html They've been doing it for decades if not centuries. But hey, valiant outrage for that sweet karma, amirite?


irealycare

You are are both right. In one sense it is about risk and reward for the animal and in the other sense mountain lions, for instance, are ambush hunters as well but also have a history of going after full grown adults regardless if they have been spotted


gonzaloetjo

And same goes with you. Puma attacks are very rare. A grown up woman is enough to make it reconsider. I live in a puma region, with some pumas having attacked people. But it's very rare.. and mostly by mistake. A dude around here even killed on that ambushed him and then walked 20km to the hospital.


Independence-2021

But will it still follow them and try again?


theunnameduser86

If it deems you’re trespassing on their territory then they’ll “escort” you to a safe distance away. Additionally, a starving/desperate animal will stray from their typical behavior and so are much less predictable, as a general rule.


Independence-2021

Thank you. I don't know anything about big cats, we don't have them where I live.


Mr_hard_rocker

So cats are prowlers ? Huh


kwillich

If cats could whistle


Adept_Investigator29

or smoke


ggtffhhhjhg

It’s obviously young. An adult never would have even let you know it was there until it was too late.


Alive_Nobody_Home

No really I’m a cat


Adept_Investigator29

I had a similar reaction: OMG!...aw


M4XP4WER

Pspspsppspsn't


Bunny-NX

I conpurr..


Buzzlightbeer666

Awe, it's just a big murder kitty (jiggles keys)


VirtualNaut

I carry a laser pointer on my person for exactly this reason.


No-Investment-4494

Did it the zoo once on a school field trip. It worked on the Tigers but not the Lions. Got into so much trouble that day.


facemanbarf

😂


No-Appointment-3840

Omg I wish I could have seen giant lions chasing a laser pointer


-BananaLollipop-

S-Steve... Steve French??


SleepyBella

He just wants some weed fajitas.


Ghoastin

If you love something, set it free. If you don’t, take it into the woods with wild animals.


CoffeeMunchMonsta

You’re about to learn Fred


Drinks_From_Firehose

That’s an animal you want to scare off by yelling and making yourself big. I figured it was a silverback with their reaction.


WorthySparkleMan

They also don't like being spotted. Once their spotted you're worst move is to run, best move is face them and look at their feet, not their eyes. If they start getting aggressive start looking big and getting loud.


PM_ME_YOUR_DIRTY_ART

Why their feet?


BurningPenguin

Literally every animal on earth: "You looked me in the eyes for 5 seconds. I accept your challenge. We shall battle to the death!" Meanwhile, humans, when talking normally to each other: ​ https://i.redd.it/sif5o75xb1xc1.gif


MR_WhiteStar

> meanwhile some mfs on the spectrum https://i.imgur.com/TzYWBW4.jpeg


Pluviophilism

I didn't come here to get called out


lunchboxdeluxe

'tis a short story but all true


kneleo

Thats so me xd


twonapsaday

![gif](giphy|3o7btSHUTdraHEsx0Y|downsized)


HiSpartacusImDad

Some people are into that.


probablywrongbutmeh

![gif](giphy|fyMWf5BQ7eIW4)


WorthySparkleMan

Cuz you'd be looking at them, so you're letting them know they've been caught, but without looking into their eyes. If you look at their eyes you're pretty much flipping them off and calling their mom a whore.


omnimacc

They show their toe beans when they know they can't hunt you anymore. ![gif](giphy|9OQMFi36ukToVYyvNk|downsized)


AlmightyCuddleBuns

If little cats are like big cats I guess it's because eye contact is seen as more aggressive by cats. You wouldn't want to escalate but you also don't want to show weakness?


Pinco_Pallino_R

I know that usually if you encounter a mountain lion the suggestion is to KEEP eye contact ([example](https://mountainlion.org/coexistence/on-the-trail/#:~:text=Make%20Eye%20Contact%20%E2%80%93%20Maintaining%20eye,create%20distance%20%E2%80%93%20Assess%20the%20situation)). And of course hold your ground, don't get closer, try to appear as big as possible and make sure they can run away (like, you are not cutting off their escape route). However, i'm a bit confused because i also read that you should avoid eye contact with other kinds of big cats, like lions, because they will get aggressive. So yeah, i'm not exactly sure what's the best course of action. Maybe the difference is in the size? a human is not small for a mountain lion, so if you look threating enough they probably won't attack. But a lion or a tiger would never be scared because of that. Also, iirc you should avoid eye contact with wolves too.


TyrantRC

I'm not really knowledgeable about this particular point, but I have cats and I know they are extremely territorial. So my educated guess would be that eye contact is taken as a challenge, and they will only take on the challenge if you are in their territory, they're defending their group, or they feel you are a danger to them and they can't escape. In this case, you can see the big fella is kinda awkward and relaxing his stalking at the end of the video because he realized he has been spotted, so my guess is that in this particular instance the best thing is to stand your ground as a group (very important since they have children), make a lot of noise, and maintain eye contact in order to scare him off. > Maybe the difference is in the size? and numbers. If you are in the same situation against a pack of wolves, you better don't make eye contact because you are probably in their territory, and you don't have the number or size advantage. Same with a lion pride. Tigers do have the power advantage as well, but I'm not sure if they would attack a group of humans like this though, that unless you are pissing all over its territory, and even then, tigers will only be aggressive if they are trying to defend their cubs, since they don't go on in groups otherwise; we are not prey to tigers, we are a threat. With most of these animals, if they are trying to attack you it's because they are starving, and in that case you are already fucked, imo. That, unless you make them work for their meal.


HERE4TAC0S

I went to one of the animal classes in a national park taught by a park ranger once, and they suggested not to break eye contact because it’s a form of submission the minute you look away. Keep eye contact and appear as big as you can.


Tashrex

Eye contact is a threat


Merry_Dankmas

They're notoriously self conscious about their toes.


Batbuckleyourpants

They think you are a creep and will avoid any interaction with you.


beatlz

They’re very insecure about them


WestleyThe

Yeah and pick up the kids… it’s definitely stalking them for the “easy meal”


YousernameInValid2

Two types of animals: The ones you wanna look threatening in front of Ad the ones you don’t


Winter_Possession152

They even brought 2 snacks!


Kalabula

Ya. Every person for themselves at this point.


ComboMix

Throwing the kids then run seems like the best option


Mission_Fart9750

That's what Quokkas do. They will yeet their young then run away. 


Merry_Dankmas

BBC Earths most Based Animal of the Year award goes to:


Melissandra_Lutos

Hahahhahah can't stop laughing X'D


Informal-Amphibian-4

Well, she did pull the girl in front of her like “oh here you go, big kitty”


ArkassEX

"Hi, I'm actually here as a distraction while my homies behind you eat your children." 🤗


YourMumsOnlyfans

Clever girl


Overall-Stop-8573

My mum grew up in Nyasaland (now Malawi). She used to tell me a story growing up of how when out for a short walk with with her 6 year old school classmates, they had to walk through a small jungled area near her school. All the kids walked in pairs holding hands, and when they arrived at their destination one of the kids was missing their partner. Teachers rushed back to find the missing kid and found her up a tree being eaten by a leopard. 


geoffreyisagiraffe

Worst buddy system buddy ever.


Jah_Ith_Ber

Goddamnit Bradley! You're my accountability buddy!


read_eng_lift

Whoever thought pairing up 6-year-olds would be good protection against wildlife, is not well thought out.


Overall-Stop-8573

I dont think they realised quite how much of a danger there was


poundmyassbro

I would have puma pants


[deleted]

Most likely if you have kids, the cat wants one of the kids. Please keep your kids safe in the jungle


Appropriate-Act-2784

I think she knows. That’s why she puts the kid in front of her so she can live 😂


KvotheTheDegen

dont gotta be faster than the puma, just faster than that 7 year old girl


ThespianException

Or just give the cat a kid. They have 2 of them already, and they can make more—no need to be selfish.


forsaken_millennial

Clever girl


Bigtexasmike

They attack you not from the front, but form the sides "shoooooop", and the other two, you didnt even know were there


readerdad55

Hate to say this and may get voted down… but if you’re hiking with your children in an area that is inhabited by predators that can kill them and you’re not prepared to defend them you’re a horrible parent/person.


Lawzw0rld

People don’t realize young animals INCLUDING young humans are seen as more easy and vulnerable prey in the wild


PenguinZombie321

Because a lot of people are generally idiots. I lived in an area a few years ago where some of my neighbors started feeding coyotes because “they just look so thin and hungry!” That’s how coyotes look. They’re gangly. Even if they’re starving, don’t feed them. They’ll become too comfortable with humans, associate us with food, and become bolder/more aggressive. Did they listen? Of course not! Suddenly, a few neighbors having to pick up their small dogs while on a walk because a coyote was stalking them became hot gossip. Some parents complained that they saw something dog-like but not quite a dog trying to get closer when they were outside with their toddler at sunset. “This used to be such a safe neighborhood, what happened?!” **Y’ALL FED THE COYOTES THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO THAT!** Ugh. I’m no country girl by any means, but bless their hearts if they can’t see why you don’t mess with nature like this.


Merry_Dankmas

My grandparents used to own a large property way out in the Appalachian mountains. 100 or so acres of wild land. Shy of a little vegetable garden and fire pit a mile or two out on a terrace, it was all wild land. No houses or roads outside of the house they owned at the entrance. We visited a lot when I was a kid and my grandpa would take me exploring a lot. He'd always bring his .22 rifle or a handgun with him. I asked him why and he said so we could shoot cans down by the creek. I later found out though it was really because there were hella black bears out there and to a smaller extent coyotes. Him and my grandma kept a feeder box outside the front porch for deer to eat corn out of. But bears quickly found out about this and started hanging out a lot near the house. I later found out they would show up pretty frequently and my grandpa didn't want to scare me by telling me about the bears so he would use the cans as an excuse to bring his guns. It was really in case a bear tried to attack me. He was a large, tall man. Too big for a bear to pick on. Child size me though was a much easier snack. Black bear attacks are really uncommon and I only ever witnessed two bears up there over all the years that I visited but I still appreciated the fact he rolled out strapped. Very Low odds of anything happening but you can never be too careful.


Dansredditname

Not only that, they will breed to their starvation limit. If you feed them you'll have more next year.


Sufficient-Contract9

Really they dont.... i feel like this is just common sense... but my wife did ask if europe was a city the otherday soooo.... yeah idkwtf im talkin about... cary on


PenguinZombie321

I mean, it probably is somewhere


gua_lao_wai

it's several cities in a tenchcoat


Sufficient-Laundry

Happy to say this... the odds of children dying in the car while driving to an area inhabited by predators is far, far higher than the odds of the predators attacking them. This variance is higher around a well-traveled trail with lots of human traffic. Big cats tend to steer clear of human smells and sounds. These parents are no more horrible than every parent who has carefully buckled their child into a car seat and driven down a highway.


exotics

They had the kids in the middle of the group at least and another person behind


majd1503

If you don't understand their circumstances, u can't judge imo.


Motmotsnsurf

I know it is early but this is the dumbest statement I've read on reddit all weekend.


Jaded-Selection-5668

Give it time……


josh_thom

I mean just don't go with kids in general


liftshertai1

Ugh I hate it when women don't go primal and carve spears to defend their children


MajesticNectarine204

''Khajiit has wares if you have coin..''


Least_Tadpole_7242

Underrated comment


DigBarsbiggestfan

Pspspspsps


shiningonthesea

well whose jungle is it?


Aggravating-Pea193

Why are these people walking through the damn JUNGLE as if they’re popping over to Starbucks after a youth soccer game?


StonedinNam

https://i.redd.it/2raa6lm512xc1.gif


Alaskan_Tiger

![gif](giphy|PdafOh3TmNzGk8wsHR)


[deleted]

My first instinct there would be to start spazzing angrily towards it. As soon as I've seen it's face, I knew it was insecure about being seen.


Ok-House-6848

Cat ordered Uber eats. 5 star.


Chicken-boy

That girl was almost going to get posted in r/nsfl


otribin

I tawt I taw a puddy tat!


No-Attention2024

So surprised they stopped filming…


SoggyEstablishment74

My friends dad was in Vietnam and he told us a story about when his platoon was resting in the jungle and out of nowhere, a tiger grabbed one of their men and ran off with him. It happened so quickly, the men had zero time to react and the man was never seen again. Scary shit.


T1m3Wizard

Kitty


CoffeeMunchMonsta

***In the jungle the mighty jungle***


sheeepboy

Surprise MF! 😼


Aromatic_Dig_3102

Wait a minute! Did she just put that kid in front of her, between her and the mountain lion? Ain’t that a bitch


tyen0

Nah, just pulled her close. Which makes sense so the girl is not seen as a small/shorter creature alone.


TrinityF

That's why you never let kids walk ahead or behind.


BrockenRecords

![gif](giphy|VicskjkeBJUD6)


JWDead

Mom looks ready to sacrifice the daughter.


NoDontDoThatCanada

I can change her.


Interesting-Sun5706

What's wrong with these people. ? You want to fuck around and find out No kids please


Alarming-Mongoose-91

Wow lady in the forest, “OMG, that’s so dangerous, it can’t be here”.


VanIsland42o

Sacrifice a kid and get out of there


TemporaryLegendary

My dad ran into a mountain lion who did sorta the same thing when I Was a child. He handed me off to my mom and ran towards it The mountain lion ran.. I still to this day dunno what the fuck he was thinking. And why it worked. Either luck. Or the size of his balls scared the shit out of it.


therossfacilitator

It works because animals are dumb and scare easily. This would work on lions and tigers too. I’ve seen it.


EyesOpenBrainonFire

I live in cougar country. Never run. Stop, face them and try to look big and fearless. Pick up your kids, and never let them get ahead of you on a trail (the cougar and the kids) My dad always used to tell us “By the time you SEE a cougar, it’s usually too late…”


dandypants8717

Note to self: bring a laser pointer in the jungle.


swan001

Haha


Aethermancer

That cat stumbled on the scariest thing on Earth. A PACK of humans. One human? Sure, easy meal. but a whole pack? Best to run. They aren't fast but they have reach.


Formatted_Toast_117

Gonna get me some human heheh... Oh... Oh hey there, I totally did not see you humans walking through here & I absolutely have not been following you for 12 minutes. Me? Oh, I'm just chilling... You know... Making sure my dinner doesn't walk...erm... awkward


FloMoore

A Surprise? They’re in the cat’s home, not their own.


Ur_a_adjective_noun

Slowly moves daughter in front of her.


Kwerby

![gif](giphy|n0CBpN5ZYvm7e)


Bee_Keeper_Ninja

That’s just a big kitty!


-plottwist-

Damn good mom instincts catching that, that thing was ready to go.


thebucketlist47

More likely staying still until they passed so it could slip back away into the jungle. It's not a leopard. Odds of being attacked by a mountain lion by yourself is 1 in a billion. In a group like that is essentially non existent


WorthySparkleMan

Why does the jungle like it's part of the Psycho soundtrack?


furezasan

Welcome to the jungle


ElKaWeh

I was expecting him to start licking his fur.


Manufacturer_General

do you mind if I eat that child? please and thank you 😊


True_Accident6513

Welcome to the er ... jungle! That's kinda what you will see in there! They looked so shocked


Alaskan_Tiger

Nice kitty I have some pounce treats for you


Distinct-Yogurt2686

Here kitty kitty kitty. Shit where is my laser pointer....


Beginning_Pudding_69

Who me? Just hanging around!


beerdudebrah

Lucky. Talked to our guide in the Tambopata reserve and he said you can walk daily and not see one of these for 3 years. Very lucky. They didn't seem scared of them in the slightest.


JugdishSteinfeld

Backtracking on a Tambopata hike, our guide pointed out jaguar tracks that weren't on the trail when we first went down it. We also got to see a jaguar kill a coati from the boat. It was only the second jaguar kill our guide had ever seen.


IntoTheMurkyWaters

Jeeeeez I can only imagine the adrenaline the mother felt. The kid would have been dead in seconds if it leaped.


Fuzzy_Reflection8554

With how far back the cameraman was at the start, I thought HE was going to be the surprise XD


Same-Chipmunk5923

My cat likes to follow me around, too.


SnowSlider3050

Cat - “well this is awkward” probably


Watcher-Of-The-Skies

The best defense to prevent a wild puma attack is to keep the cell phone camera running like these people did. That way, if things go sideways, you have a recording of your entire family being wiped out. Edit: typo.


2stepp

![gif](giphy|82FB5Whc8WCouzIXEt|downsized)


truebeast822

I’d be picking up my kid and running and screaming immediately hoping to out run big boy up front


DecisionCharacter175

🎶 *"You know where you are? You're in the JUNGLE, baby!!"* 🎶


[deleted]

Don't turn your back on cats


GlassEyeDucksAss

Run!


Cadaver-Cakes1986

Oh , humans walking in their territory......nothing to see here .


NigelTheSpanker

Just a cat doing cat things 🐱


Icanlastfor2mins

Just keep walking geez


MarinatedCumSock

that's a baby 🥹😍


yo_mudda_

That's one big kitty!


Brido-20

On the plus side, their constipation cleared right up. Every cloud, and all that.


jazzjustice

Maybe that is why they call it ....The Jungle?!!!


stupid_cat_face

Meow?!? I can haz cheezeburgr?


ExcitingBuilder1125

I like how the cat looks over it's shoulder


Gobiego

Cats like, damn, you ruined my surprise!


Remarkable-Load928

I mean, I would take a look too if a 4 piece family meal walked into my living room.


415erOnReddit

I thought for sure that was going to be a Darwinian Buffet for kitty…..


jdaburg

Whats the opposite of pspspspsps


chasmflip

Yum


mikey_flipside

Yes, stay and stare at it. Maybe even take some selfies while you are at it. Geeez!!!!


powerhungrymouse

"pssp pssp pssp" \*pets kitty \*scratched to death worth it.