Non-lethal Means Used to Get Cougar to Move Away from Ketchum
A mountain lion that became too comfortable in a Wood River Valley community was removed by non-lethal force on Thursday.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced conservation officers used a shotgun with non-lethal rubber slugs to get a cozy mountain lion to move on from the backyard of a Ketchum home on Jan. 9.
Regional Conservation Officer Josh Royse said in a statement that the big cat had gotten used to living in the urban environment and didn't seem to react the way they expected the animal to after monitoring it. “We are concerned with what appears to be increasing situations of lions becoming less fearful of humans,” according to Royse, “when lions don’t react as we would expect them to, there will be times we need to take actions like we did today.”
Royse said they hope the action will get the animal to move out of the urban area into the mountains surrounding the community. In recent weeks several dogs have been attacked, some of them fatally, by mountain lions forcing Fish and Game to lethally remove them. Officials say people should call in any sighting or encounter with mountain lions to the Magic Valley Regional Office at (208) 324-4359.