Tread lightly: Bear, mountain lion sightings in Southern Utah

GRAND COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Southern Utah residents and travelers, be aware of bears and mountain lions in Grand and Iron Counties.

In Grand County, officials say they are receiving reports of multiple bears in the area.

According to the Bureau of Land Management Utah, bears have been sighted in Grandstaff Canyon and along the Colorado River, in the Dewey Bridge to Hittle Bottom area. So if you are hiking or boating around Moab, officials are asking you to take extra precautions.

Rangers at Grandstaff Canyon Trail say they have seen a lot of foot and paw traffic in the area and are asking Hikers to be mindful of possibly running into the bear.

It’s important to keep children close and pets on a leash at all times. Make sure you don’t leave any snacks behind and remember that a black bear will often avoid any conflict with humans, and will likely move away on it’s own.

In Iron County, the Sheriff’s office said they received information of a mountain lion sighting near the gun range area on Tuesday.

According to Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), if you encounter a mountain lion or a bear, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep yourself safe.

If you happen to be hiking in the area, make noise to alert cougars of your presence, leave the area if you find a dead animal, especially deer or elk, since it could be a cougar kill and make sure you keep children and pets close.

If you do encounter a bear, don’t back up, lie down, or play dead. Instead, stay calm and give the bear a chance to leave. Prepare to use your bear spray or another deterrent. DWR says black bears are excellent climbers and can run up to 35 mph, so you won’t be able to outrun or outclimb them.

If a black bear attacks, always fight back. DWR says that people have been able to successfully defend themselves with almost anything, such as rocks, sticks, backpacks, and water bottles.

More information about bear safety can be found on the Wild Aware Utah website.