On the morning of Feb. 4, Idaho Department of Fish and Game personnel lethally removed an adult female mountain lion from a Pocatello residential area.
A homeowner in the Johnny Creek area in south Pocatello reported that the mountain lion had killed two pet goats in proximity to his home, prompting Fish and Game’s action.
Idaho Fish and Game addresses conflicts with mountain lions (and other wildlife) on a case-by-case basis, making final decisions based on a variety of factors. In this case, the mountain lion was euthanized because it had been frequenting the homeowner’s property and killed two pet goats. However, there have been times when circumstances have allowed for relocation, as was the case with the mountain lion discovered in a north Pocatello neighborhood last April.
Many Pocatello and Chubbuck neighborhoods are built in the urban-wildland interface shared with various species of wildlife, including mountain lions. Yet, reports of lions in or around town are fairly infrequent, and conflicts like this one are rare.
For tips about living and recreating in lion country, check out Idaho Fish and Game’s brochure Living with Mountain Lions which can be found at regional Fish and Game offices or online at https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/brochure_living-with-mtn-lions-2016-m.pdf.
