Mountain lions: Attacks are rare, but spotting one isn’t [Video]

CALIFORNIA, USA — If hikers, bikers, campers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts haven’t encountered a mountain lion while in the California wilderness, they might know somebody who has.

The big cats that can weigh more than 150 pounds (68 kg) live in diverse habitats across the state, including inland forests, coastal chaparral, foothills and mountains. It’s not uncommon to spot a cougar near a trail, at a park or even in a backyard while they’re out hunting prey such as deer, raccoons, coyotes and occasionally pets.

But attacks on humans — like the one that recently killed a man and seriously wounded his brother — are rare. The mauling last weekend was the first fatal encounter with a mountain lion in the state in two decades.

Since 1890, there have been fewer than …