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Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Mountain Lion Mom and Kittens Play!

My trail cams captured an extraordinary series of video clips of a mountain lion family. I believe that they are the mother and kittens who we've been following.

"Following" them started with the pair of mountain lions who were courting last summer, just about a year ago. Then, the mother herded her kittens from one den to another, passing by one of my cams, last fall when they were very young.

Now, those kittens are about 8 months old, and they were playing within a quarter mile of where we first spotted them.

At one point during their play, mom stood still, looking down toward where her kitten was hiding, just below the tree on the far left of the frame (you can't see him in this photo).

 Here he was, getting ready to hide.

He ducked down, and he waited for mom to move.

Mom made the first move - she's not visible in this photo. Her kitten leaped to get started chasing her.
To me, the coolest part of the footage that I captured is how much the family played together. It looked like mom actually instigated the play frequently! How cool is that? A huge fierce adult mountain lion, who is the queen of the forest, actually played like a kitten!

She also could be serious, like at this moment. Her kitten had just play-pounced on her but she seemed concerned about something. Both she (in front) and the kitten stood stock still gazing toward whatever was worrying them.

Usually, I try to keep my videos to about 2 minutes but I couldn't cut enough footage this time. This one is about 4 minutes long, and I hope that you enjoy it. It is unlikely that I'll ever capture footage like this again!

20 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    Who can't go aaawwww at this?! YAM xx

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  2. so wonderful to see them.... and in their natural habitat and not behind bar aor in cages... please lord save this wonderful places and the wildlife for us...

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  3. Fun as a family together, what a wonderful set of video images, once in a lifetime maybe . Their faces as they hunker down before a leap. I am so glad you kept it all to share with us.

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  4. every now and then i can hear the click of the camera, i bet that is why the kitten pounced at it. i also heard a little growl from the kitten just before it pounced. they are amazing creatures and oh so beautiful..

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  5. What amazing footage! Thanks for all the time you put into managing all your trail cams and processing all the images/videos you get. These are things most people will never see in real life.

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  6. I did a post for our dear Lucy. She had a peaceful and loving end. You have been through the same difficult course so I know you understand. We are obviously very sad but happy she is at peace and so are we.

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    1. Oh no... I had no idea. I will be over to read it. I will be thinking of all of you.

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  7. KB what an amazing video. My word so clear and those BIG paws!! Whoa
    Hugs Cecilia

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  8. It's so much fun watching the cat family interact!

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  9. Wow, that was remarkable footage! Well done.

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  10. Things most folks never get to see. Thank you!

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  11. Just like house cats only huge and wild. How fun!

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  12. How cute seeing the kitten honing hunting skills through play.

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  13. What excellent footage! I love watching these big cats - their behavior is identical to little cats. When both Moxie and Della (often it's just Moxie) come out for evening chores with me, they do exactly this same hide-and-pounce and mad chase, but with all the undergrowth and tall ferns here, I am the one caught off-guard when there is a sudden explosion of cat activity right across my path. I've learned not to jump when I'm carrying water buckets ;)

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  14. I so enjoy watching the kittens wind them self up to pounce!
    Thanks for the wonderful footage!!!

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  15. Only you can take such perfect videos of your world!
    love
    tweedles

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