This was the first view of her, with her mother nowhere in sight.
In the next view of her, her mother's tail is barely visible further down the trail. That fawn looks scared!
First, just the mama mountain lion was in front of the camera.
Then, one of her kittens emerged from the pine trees beside her. She had two kittens with her but one was lagging a bit.
But then I thought a little harder about it. The mother mountain lion has been nurturing these kittens for about a year. In other views of this family, the mother looks very thin. Indeed, she is thinner than her kittens and thinner than most mountain lions. Life is very tough for our top predator, and there are about a hundred deer fawns for every mountain lion kitten... So, I resolved not to root for anyone.
For either of these single parent families to survive, other families are going to have tragic losses. The mountain lions need food so they might kill the fawn or her mother. If the doe and fawn escape predation, the mountain lion family will be hungrier and a few thousand calories closer to not surviving.
The natural world is cruel because it is not possible for everyone to win.
My cams captured some more footage of the mother mountain lion a week later and a few miles away. She had lost her kittens, probably only temporarily, but she was calling for them incessantly using high-pitched and piercing chirps. I can't show you that in a photo but it's in my video.
I believed that I heard the same chirping as I checked a cam today. It might have been my imagination. Maybe it was a bird or a rodent... but I thought that a mountain lion was nearby. I stayed calm and departed the area. I may never know if I was correct (unless the next check of the cam shows a mountain lion just behind me - that happened once a few years ago).
Here's the short video. You can watch it here or on Youtube.
Every piece of our ecosystem is precious.
We enjoyed seeing them all, pretty amazing!
ReplyDeleteI often have to work my mind around to the point of "not rooting" for anyone. Sometimes it's just a quick recentering; other times, it's a bit of work. Occasionally I just can't get there, but I see that as my own shortcoming. Cats are probably my biggest weakness but also my greatest source of strength.
ReplyDeletethat is a pretty distintive call, and they are the most majestic and beautiful animals. When God created our world He made the natural food chain, but I am with you, rooting for the fawn and mother. the problem is when MAN gets involved they mess with the food chain, that is what upsets me.
ReplyDeletethinking of the food chain watching this video, I thought about the blog in Africa I just came from. she posted baby cows, they are sooooo cute... and they are headed for the dinner plates … that breaks my heart to... looking at them and thinking they will be fed and sold and eaten... part of God's food chain, but I don't have to like it.
Nature can be so cruel but everyone has to eat to survive. It's sad but reality.
ReplyDeleteThe balance of nature tips both ways. We hope both will be winners this season.
ReplyDeleteOh my word that little fawn has some big ears and it was crouching like I do sometimes when I'm concerned or hear a strange noise.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea the mtn. loin made such a 'kitten' like sound.
Thank you for the beautiful videos and we are cheering both families
Hugs madi and mom
The Mum's chirp, was a wonderful recording. Life's cycles, hard not to hope for them all to survive, but that is how they live. The baby fawn, wobbly, and those huge ears. We see so much with you sharing this beauty of nature, so many thanks again.
ReplyDeleteVery true, but there i something about those little fawns that really tugs at my heart. We hope the mountain lion was reunited with her cubs.
ReplyDeleteNature never give us someone to root for
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, thanks for sharing your life. Are you in British Columbia somewhere?
ReplyDelete