Officials issue warning after worker's jaw-dropping sighting at local nature park: 'Please use caution when exploring our natural areas'

The last thing you'd expect to see in a state like Texas is a mountain lion, likely due to the Lone Star State's general lack of mountains or hilly regions.

A worker for the San Marcos city trail crew at the Purgatory Creek Natural Area in Hays County, Texas, was out on the trail on a regular Thursday morning when they happened to catch a glimpse of a mountain lion climbing down from a tree and scurrying off when it noticed them, per Phys.org.

A completely normal sight, indeed.

According to city officials, the timing of the sighting coincides with reports of dead animals, such as deer, suggesting the two events "may be related."

Mountain lions (also known as cougars) were once native to much of Texas but were largely eradicated through hunting and human development.

However, they've been spotted most commonly in West Texas, specifically the Trans-Pecos region. This marked the first time a mountain lion had been confirmed in Hays County, which is closer to the central part of the state.

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"As always, please use caution when exploring our natural areas. These greenspaces are home to many types of wildlife," San Marcos officials said in a statement.

"If you encounter a mountain lion: Do not approach it. Give it space and a way to escape — most will avoid confrontation," they added — an important warning when encountering any animal in the wild.

This could be a sign that cougars are starting to return to the state, which is a big win for animal conservation efforts. This isn't the first time we've seen a species once native to a particular region start to bounce back recently. One example is gray wolves being spotted in California early last year.

A rare wild cat was also spotted in the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, India, indicating that conservation efforts are not just finding success in the U.S.