Mountain lion sightings are common in the state of Idaho, considering the naturally rugged and wild state that it is. What is not common is sighting a mountain lion on your front porch or in your garden.
Terry Thompson from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game explained that two young lions have been seen throughout both west and north Ketchum. The cougars have been found in yards and near front doors.
"Our concern when we have mountain lions living in our communities is public safety, both for people and for pets," Thompson said.
Thompon says the Department of Fish and Game is taking measures to ensure public safety, including monitoring where the mountain lions are seen in town.
When the mountain lions were first spotted the department made a goal to be proactive and avoid euthanizing and trapping. One proactive approach is hazing. Hazing entails making loud noises close to or around the habitat of the lion to make them feel uncomfortable and scare them off to the wild.
In the Wood River Valley, there is a healthy mountain lion population. This is due to the resident deer and elk in the valley. This means that the lions have a consistent food source year-round.
"We are starting to suspect that there are litters of lions being born in and around the towns up there," Thompson said. "So these are now lions who are very accustomed to being around people, traffic, houses, pets, all of the things that we would normally consider lions to be wary of or flee from.
Mountain lions are ambush predators, so having them accustomed to living close to humans could prove problematic.
If you encounter a mountain lion, try the following steps:
- Do not run away
- Back away slowly while maintaining eye contact with the lion
- Hold your arms up to make yourself look as big as possible
- Carry bear spray.
For more safety tips, visit the Idaho Fish and Game website.