Playing in freshly fallen snow is a magical experience that many adults and kids take full advantage of. However, a video of one family's snowy backyard shows an unlikely group of animals romping in the white fluffy stuff—a family of big cats. Instagram user Colin Nobil shared a video on his page of a mountain lion foursome checking out the snowfall.
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Cats are the last animals you'd imagine having fun in the snow, but these large felines are having the time of their lives. As they walk through the yard, they start to explore. One even jumps on top of the hot tub. Viewers were amazed by the footage, especially since many don't get to see mountain lions up close where they live.
One amended the caption, writing that the original poster is in the mountain lion's backyard, not the other way around—a sentiment that was echoed by many of the other commenters. One wrote, "Beautiful...The more we expand civilization, the more these mountain lions will get nearer to us. These are majestic animals who need large swaths of land to roam and hunt...I wish we would stop building on every square inch of land available. I live in Arizona, and coyotes are all over the place...The amount of structures going up is killing the landscape." Another agreed, "What a fantastic sight they're so beautiful. Mountain lion sightings used to be incredibly rare. Are we squeezing them out?" Commenters debated whether the land available to mountain lions is getting less or their numbers are growing. Numerous regions have seen growth in their mountain lion populations thanks to hunting regulations and conservation efforts. In some areas, such as one town in Colorado, the growth is tipping the scales in favor of these apex predators.
A viewer pointed out, "With their numbers rising and the rapid exodus of people out of cities into their tiny houses, incidents like this will become evermore common. This didn't appear to end with the death of someone's pet/animal, but it will become so. Protected carnivores will always become a problem."
But, of course, it's important to remember that it's all about balance between these magnificent creatures and us.
READ MORE: How Would You Feel Waking Up to Mountain Lions Outside Your Bedroom Window?
