A young mountain lion tries to ward off its human captors just before they tag and tattoo its ears for research. If all goes well, this tiny kitten will grow into a 150-pound (68-kilogram) expert predator capable of single-handedly taking down an 800-pound (363-kilogram) elk.

(Text adapted from and photograph shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Learning to Live with Mountain Lions," July 1992, National Geographic magazine)