EPA Approved Bear Spray May Help Deter a Mountain Lion

Bear spray may help to deter an attacking lion. Recently, an FWP mountain lion biologist and field technicians used bear spray to successfully turn away an attacking lion.

What is Bear Spray?

Bear spray is a one-to-two percent concentration of oleoresin capsicum and related capsaicinoids, a mixture produced when burning compounds, which naturally occur in hot red peppers, are extracted. This irritating substance causes the membranes of the eyes, nose and lungs to swell. The result is a temporary, but nearly total, loss of sight and a restriction in one's ability to breathe. The product is designed to turn back an attacking grizzly bear, or to shorten the length and severity of an attack. The EPA regulates bear sprays and requires it be packaged in at minimum a 7.9 ounce size can.

Until now, there was no evidence on how bear spray might affect a mountain lion and whether it would diffuse a potentially dangerous situation.

First Hand Account:

Montana Mountain Lion Researchers' Experience Using Bear Spray to Deter a Female Lion with Kittens

Rich DeSimone, an FWP mountain lion researcher, had an experience where bear spray spared an experienced lion hound and most likely protected two FWP lion researchers from a 120 pound radio-collared female lion. Here is his story.

On June 10, 2001, Brian Shinn, an FWP research assistant, and I were capturing and radio-equipping lion kittens for a long-term mountain lion study in the Garnet Mountains, east of Missoula when we used bear spray to deter a female mountain lion that came within five feet of us.

The two-year old, adult female lion, F43, was one of the some 121 lions captured and radio-equipped since 1997 to study how sport hunting affects lion population dynamics and how to monitor lions to determine whether populations are increasing or decreasing.

Two days before this incident, we had located “F43” using radio-telemetry in an area where she had been for several weeks, common behavior when females have kittens. We found at least two month-old kittens with her.

We radio collared one of the kittens and identified her as “F53”. Several days later, we returned to the area using telemetry to find kitten F53 in order to collar additional kittens in the litter.

As I used our telemetry receiver and antenna to move in on the radio signal, Shinn held an experienced lion hound on a short leash in one hand and his bear spray in the other hand.

The adult female lion appeared from under a pine tree and came directly toward us. She attempted to slap or swipe at the lion hound on the leash. At a distance of only a few feet, Brian shot a burst of the bear spray toward the lion's face.

She immediately turned away, made three leaps and at about 10 to 15 feet blinked repeatedly and then started to walk toward us again.

Shinn sprayed a second curtain of pepper spray and the lion turned away and this time laid down about 20 yards away. We noticed that she had evidence of foam and salvia near her mouth. The two of us left the area to prevent any further disturbance to her and her kittens.

Monitoring radioed lions in the Garnets ended early 2007. Both F43 and F53 were alive and doing fine. Since 2001, both females have produced several litters of kittens.

FWP no longer directly approaches radioed females with tiny kittens. Today's protocol is to locate the female’s den site and wait for her to leave. When she does we locate and collar the kittens.

Several thousand mountain lions have been captured and marked by biologists studying lions. Aggressive behavior by lions toward humans is extremely rare, although female lions become anxious when their young are handled.

Nonetheless, mountain lion attacks are very rare, and there are no documented cases of lion attacks resulting from defense of their young or food sources. However, our experience with F43 suggests it is wise to be very careful around female lions with kittens. In addition, common sense dictates that people should steer clear of lion kills.

Our experience with F43 allowed us to confirm that regulation, EPA-approved bear spray is an effective deterrent to an approaching mountain lion.

Effective Use of Bear Spray

Here are what Montana's wildlife managers say are the minimum requirements for the effective use of bear spray.

• Minimum Spray Distance—Bear spray goes out about 25 feet. If the user sprays a cloud 25 feet out and a lion is moving in from a greater distance, it could meet the cloud of active bear spray ingredients. However, mountain lions are less likely to charge so they may work their way around the initial orange cloud. Some experts suggest that even the sound of the spray coming out of the can and the appearance of the orange cloud of capsaicin may be enough to deter a mountain lion that is simply curious or confused about whether what they see is prey.
• Minimum Duration of Spray—Wildlife experts recommend a canister that contains six-seconds of spray. A burst of two to three seconds will create a cloud of orange. It may be necessary to spray a second burst if the animal retreats and returns, or if the first cloud disperses in the wind.
• Minimum Contents—A can of bear spray should contain a minimum of 7.9 ounces of a one to two percent solution of oleoresin capsicum and related oils. The can must be carried in a quickly accessible location such as a hip or chest holster or hand held as bear managers do when walking through an area with a known population.
• Other features that impact how the pepper spray works including the weather and in particular the wind's ability to move and disperse the orange cloud of active ingredients.