The trap wasn't set for him, but it could have killed him anyway. In the Pine Valley of Washington County in southern Utah, a mountain lion got his paw stuck in a coyote trap that had been set by hunters next to a tree. Unable to move at all, he would never have escaped without the heroism of Mark Elkins, local officer for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
And Mark didn't hesitate for a second. The wildlife specialist knew exactly what to do to free the animal. And for good reason: his work requires that he intervene regularly, sometimes upon the demand of hunters themselves, to free animals from traps that weren't meant for them.
Source : Youtube / MrCordoniz
The operation was still risky. Believing he was being confronted by a predator, the panicked lion was ready to pounce. Every movement of Mark and his colleagues' provoked a threatening roar, as the lion tried to escape.
They firstly had to control the animal's muzzle so he would let the officers get closer. To do this, Mark slipped a lasso around the feline's neck, enabling him to control the animal's movements. He then broke the chain between the trap and the tree. Finally, making sure to cover the lion's head so he couldn't attack, Mark removedhis paw from the metal device with his bare hands.
Source : Youtube / MrCordonizClearly shaken by the incident, the mountain lionfled a few minutes after, with a new appreciation for his freedom.Watch the full video of the dangerous rescue:[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct3n-yks5iw[/embed]
H/t: HeroViral
