Assholes are killing Cougars in my backyard.
Lion hunt shuts down Sabino area
Outcry isn't stopping lion hunt
Sons-of-bitches aren't satisfied with having paved a road right up the middle of the canyon - one of the most beautiful places on earth - to make it more accessible to visitors, and more profitable to the private company that runs the tram, now they're killing off the most spectacularly beautiful creatures you could ever hope to see on a hike.
They're going to have to change the name to the Sabino Canyon Erness (that's wilderness minus wild).
It is incredibly easy to ward away Cougars. When you're in lion country, you walk with a big, heavy staff. If you think a Cougar is impervious to a sound knock on the head, think again. They are opportunists looking for a tasty snack, not a fight. And the fact is, you'll probably never have to get that close. All you need to do if you see a Cougar is jump around and yell like a lunatic, and throw rocks. That's really all you need to do.
Of course, they are sneaky bastards, but not nearly as sneaky as Tigers or Jaguars. This means you have to actually look around and be aware of your surroundings. I understand this can be challenging to people who are out power-walking on their lunch break.
Every one of these people who feel threatened by Cougars should be evolutionary roadkill. They would serve a much more usefull purpose as Cougar food than continuing to use up precious oxygen.