This fellow is a calf who was in a pen, which is like being served up on a plate to a wild lion. One of it's human neighbors actually saw two lions together a couple of days earlier.
Since California won't let anyone hunt lions, they overpopulate the mountains. They're territorial, and young lions have no territory of their own to inhabit, so they come down onto the flats, where people are, looking to find a home, and occasionally an easy meal. This looks like the work of a young, inexperienced lion.
Everyone's in the shoot, shovel and shut up mood over there. Lucky I've got a Rhodesian Ridgeback. They're bred to hunt lions in Africa, and he's out at night, keeping a gimlet eye on things. Good boy!
Here he is after a run in with a barbed wire fence last year.
It may take more than one dog to stay safe, especially for him.
ReplyDeleteMight want to get a couple more Rhodes, one on one doesn't usually favor the dog.
ReplyDeleteNot sure most people realize how big a full grown lion can be, and the amount of damage they can do.
If you complain loud enough about lion depredation to your livelihood livestock CFW will occasionally live trap them. Then they haul them to a neighboring state and release them to cause problems there...
The three S method works.
Ridgebacks are a breed that I personally favor because they're brave and loyal. Brig and Gorges are quite correct in that you need a dozen of them to bay a lion ideally. Mountain lions are after all, lions, and you can only hope that you're the apex predator and not them. Wolves will come at you in packs (not unlike Ridgebacks under the guidance of a hunter), and are more dangerous by degree. But if the lion is after you and you're unarmed and unaware or naive, you can be supper.
ReplyDeleteEvery year they take a few people in Southern California who are riding mountain bikes - or children in the wilderness parks. They're lions, and especially if they're old or lazy, they'll take a person.
All true, but Rusty doesn't need to bay them, just bark enough that they bypass the property. About ten years ago I'm about 85% certain one spent a day or two on the property right behind my house while on walkabout. Never saw that one, but did see a track, heard it, and the dogs I had then acted really jittery for about 48 hours.
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