A Cat Survives Falling 400 Feet Off A Cliff In Bryce Canyon National Park, But That Same Fall Took The Lives Of Her Owners
Cats may have nine lives, but this just used up about eight and a half of them in one go. After miraculously surviving a nearly 400-foot fall, a cat is now recovering at an animal sanctuary in Utah.
That same fall took the lives of the cat’s owners. Tourists found the feline in a black carrier that was dirty and broken.
On April 29, a couple and their cat named Mirage went over a popular viewpoint within Bryce Canyon National Park.
The couple had climbed over safety railings between the trail and the cliff before falling about 380 feet below. They were identified as 45-year-old Matthew Nannen and 58-year-old Bailee Crane.
Their bodies were discovered below Inspiration Point. Mirage was in a carrier next to them. Nannen and Crane were living in a U-Haul van and had recently spent a lot of time in Arizona. According to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, their last state of permanent residence was Florida.
Mirage was rescued and initially taken to Pawz Dogs boarding facility in Panguitch on April 29. But the next day, the sheriff’s office contacted the Best Friends Animal Society, and Mirage was transported nearly 70 miles to their sanctuary in Kanab. There, she received bloodwork, X-rays, and an exam by a veterinarian.
“She was matted and a bit sore, but friendly upon examination, as well as drinking and eating on her own,” said the Best Friends Animal Society.
The cat was estimated to be around 12 years old. She is currently being treated for two broken ribs and broken teeth while the shelter figures out whether or not the couple’s extended family will take her in. For the next six weeks, her activity will be restricted as part of her recovery.
Bryce Canyon National Park is full of cliffs and ravines eroded in soft rock and soil at the edge of a plateau. Every year, more than two million visit the park.
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The viewpoint where the couple fell from receives thousands of visitors a day. At the time of the couple’s fall, there was snow on the ground, which would have made the ground slippery.
“They had gone over the railing; they had climbed over the railing intentionally. Whether it was slippery or intentional, we don’t know,” said Wade Mathews, a spokesperson for the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.
In a press release, Garfield County Sheriff Eric Houston advised that anyone doing recreational activities outdoors should use caution, stay within their skill levels, and obey signs and safety measures.
It was determined that the cause of the couple’s deaths was the fall, but the circumstances surrounding the fall are still unclear. The viewpoint has remained open, and no other deaths have been reported.
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