These Predator Photos From The Panhandle Will Make You Shudder

I remember being told as a kid that mountain lions prowled some areas in the Panhandle. The thought of this used to terrify me but as time passed, the overarching fear of scary animals became less and less prevalent in my mind.

Although eyewitness stories have been passed around about mountain lions being spotted in the rural areas of the Panhandle, it's hard to imagine these big, scary creatures actually living here.

But a photo that has been circulating its way around Facebook, has definitely changed my perception around the elusive mountain lions of the Panhandle.

These two-year-old game camera photos of what looks to be a mountain lion are enough to either astound or terrify viewers. Hearing about these predators is one thing, but actually seeing them really does leave an impression on you.

According to the poster of this image, the game camera that captured this image was located along the Canadian River.

How Rare Are Mountain Lions

Although they look pretty scary, you can sleep easy knowing that a mountain lion's chances of being attacked in Texas are exceedingly low. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, mountain lion attacks are far and in between.

Only four attacks on humans in Texas have been reported since 1980, all of them in remote areas of West Texas. From 1890–2001, there were 98 attacks across the U.S. and Canada, 17 of those were fatal.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

According to the Mountain Lion Foundation, there is no official population number on mountain lion populations in Texas that is likely low due to human encroachment and hunting. This likely explains the reason why mountain lion sightings are rare.