Vending machines and cantaloupes kill more people than Mountain lions

Jim Sanderson

Just how dangerous are Mountains lions? Here are a few amusing facts for comparison.

Vending machine accidents cause an estimated 2 to 4 deaths per year in the United States, usually resulting from people rocking or tilting them, causing machines (often weighing over 900 pounds) to crush them. Between 1978 and 2021, about 38 deaths and thousands of injuries were reported to safety officials. Most injuries were recorded among young males. No surprise there!

Since 1978, just 15 to 20 people have been killed by Mountain lions in the United States and Canada, with fatal attacks remaining extremely rare (less than 30 in North America since 1868). The majority of these attacks occurred in California and Colorado, often involving solitary victims. Most likely, young and inexperienced Mountains lions suddenly frightened by approaching humans are to blame.

An estimated 36,640 traffic fatalities were recorded in the United Sates in 2025. Approximately 100 people per day are killed.

Between the turn of the century and 2020 there were at least 45 cantaloupe-associated outbreaks, resulting in a total of 40 deaths. Cantaloupes are far more dangerous than Mountain lions. Next time you food shopping, beware of those plump cantaloupes.

In fact, more Mountain lions are needed, especially in countries where feral dogs are federally protected everywhere, without exception, they occur.

Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation

Controlling Pet Diseases Impacting Fishing cats

Ashan Thudugala, Sri Lanka, Save Fishing Cats

We successfully completed our first vaccination and neutering campaign in the central hills of Sri Lanka. We conducted this campaign at Dayagama West where the plantation communities border the rich cloud forests. Wild cats freely roam these neighbourhoods

We used different vaccines including rabies for dogs and TriCat for cats which is essential to build herd immunity in residential areas to mitigate disease transmission. These campaigns also build trust for our efforts in the local community.

We vaccinated 70 dogs, 20 cats and neutered 22 dogs in and around these communities. We also treated stray animals. Residents were also educated about our efforts to save Fishing cats as well as Leopards

Our target is to complete four more vaccination and neutering campaigns during this year.

Save Fishing Cats

Ending Festival Celebration Killing of Clouded Leopards

Giri Malla, NE India, Eastern Himalayas Marbled Cat Project

The village of Nongtalang in the India state of Meghalaya celebrated an annual festival by killing Clouded leopards and other small wild cats as part of their rituals. Our team in Meghalaya conducted multiple visits to this village and ultimately achieved something that had once seemed impossible.

Through women-centric engagement, our interventions succeeded in inspiring a meaningful shift within the community. The women of the village chose to support the conservation of small wild cats not through hunting or celebratory practices, but by creating crochet representations of these species and using them as tools for awareness and ultimately to conserve small wild cats. This outcome represents a significant milestone for us.

The women’s group, along with the village head, also agreed to participate in conservation efforts tby using trail cameras, and we subsequently deployed five cameras in this remote village of Meghalaya. During our visits, we organized crochet training sessions for the women’s group. They have since developed remarkable craftsmanship, producing high-quality items that many of them now sell in local markets, providing an important alternative source of livelihood.

Thank you for your support, Jim. People still talk about your visit and even agreed to your idea of recording the small wild cats in trail cameras and awarding prizes for the best pictures and videos.

Eastern Himalayas Marbled Cat Project

SWCCF News 2026 05

Big Cat Attacks