I did not realize the threat level in other parts of the country. Here in the PNW, you will hear about the occasional cougar attack, and wolves are being reintroduced, but people generally still wander with no protection in forest areas. The ones who do carry do so as much for homo sapien threats as animal.
I guess the fact that the northwest has no where near the population density of humans and pets has to do the lack of hybrid or cross development?
I live in a rural area that has some strange people, so I’m sure there are two legged predators to be careful of on the hiking trails-I’ve only come across fellow hikers, fortunately.
There are seasonal residents in the RV parks and cabins here-snow birds who winter here, mostly-they are not careful to keep their pets confined, and I’m sure it does contribute to cross breeding-most of the cats and dogs the local shelter adopts out were lost in RV parks-one of my 3 cats is an RV refugee.
There has never been a cougar attack anywhere near here-they are content to eat what nature provides, and the occasional loose pet-I see tracks sometimes, but I’ve never seen the cat that made them. The animal I fear an encounter with most is a wild/feral hog-they are all over the place, very aggressive, and they can kill you.