The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office recently released a report about a mountain biker who encountered a mountain lion near a popular spot for outdoor recreation in the Telluride area.

According to a report from the sheriff, the encounter took place at about 4:15 p.m. on June 18 with the initial report indicating that the mountain biker was in the area of the popular Bear Creek Falls when the big cat was spotted. More specifically, he was on the lower Wasatch trail.

Per the biker, the mountain lion wasn’t acting aggressively and it’s believed the cougar was simply startled by the biker’s passing while it was hidden in nearby brush. There was no contact made with the mountain lion and the man was not injured.

While this encounter didn’t come with any negative consequences for the biker or the cat aside from a shock for both, the sheriff’s office issued a statement about it as sightings have grown more common in the Telluride area in recent years, using it as an opportunity to educate the public on what to do if they happen to encounter a cougar.

Stay calm, don’t run, make yourself look large and speak firmly and loudly. Work to back away while giving the mountain lion an escape route and if you’re with children, pick them up if possible without crouching down or turning your back. If a mountain lion is showing signs of aggression, throw sticks, rocks, and other objects in its direction. Never crouch or play dead. If attacked, fight back.

To avoid mountain lion encounters, hike with others, avoid hiking during dawn, dusk, and at night. Keep pets and children close, and make noise. Mountain lions are another reason to carry bear spray, too. While attacks on humans are extremely rare, they have happened in Colorado, as was exemplified in the fatal attack that occurred in Larimer County on New Year’s Day.

If you’re interested in learning more about mountain lion behavior, check out this report on a recent study that looked at how mountain lions react to outdoor recreation. The report has several big takeaways, one being that “human tolerance in mountain lions is not synonymous with conflict.” Read that report here.

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