With about six sightings of a mountain lion reported to the Lovell Police Department on the south side of town and on county land outside of the town limits recently, Lovell Game Warden Rick King said people should not be too scared, and know that measures are being taken to track and trap the cat if another sighting is reported.
“One or two sightings would not be a cause for concern but repeated sightings in the same area is something to be concerned about,” King said. “People should not be paranoid, but an increased sense of awareness is in order.”
King and animal control officer Phil Angell are monitoring a live trap, King said, and the Game and Fish Dept. has contacted two different hound handlers who have agreed to help track the cat if fresh tracks are found or a sighting is reported.
According to the G&F, Wyoming mountain lions are generally a slate gray to rufous brown color with black tipped ears and tail. Adult males may be more than eight feet long and weigh an average of 150 pounds. Adult females may be up to seven feet long and weigh an average of 90 pounds. Lions are much larger than lynx or bobcats and have a long tail that may measure one-third of their total length.
Sightings should be reported right away to the Lovell Police Department at 548-2215 or the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Department at 1-800-500-2324. King said hounds have a better chance of tracking the animal if sightings are reported as quickly as possible. He said most of the sightings have been reported near area of the Globe Canal on the southwest side of town.
King said missing pets should also be reported, because lions are territorial and will eat dogs, cats and other animals.
According to the Game and Fish Dept., mountain lion habitat is essentially the same as their prey and much of Wyoming is prime mountain lion habitat. The species has the largest geographic range of any native American mammal other than humans. With eastern U.S. populations dwindling, the West has become their stronghold, with mountain lions becoming increasingly common in Wyoming.
Generally, lions are calm, quiet and elusive and are most active from dusk until dawn. However, they do travel and hunt in daylight, according to the G&F.
If a tracking party is able to locate the mountain lion, it could be tranquilized using a dart and removed from the area.
King said there are a number of precautions that can be taken to reduce the chance of an encounter with a mountain lion:
•Don’t feed wildlife such as deer and raccoons because they can attract mountain lions.
•Remove vegetation that offers a mountain lion a place to hide. Make it difficult for a lion to approach your property unseen.
•Install outdoor lighting especially along walkways to make mountain lions visible.
•Keep children nearby and make sure they are inside between dusk and dawn when mountain lions are most active. Educate children about mountain lions and what to do if they encounter one.
•Bring pets inside at night or keep them in a kennel with a secure top. Keep pet food inside because it can attract lions or the prey of lions. Keep livestock enclosed in sheds or barns if possible.
•Talk to neighbors and inform them of mountain lion safety precautions.
If you meet a lion
According to the G&F, the best course of action upon meeting a mountain lion is to stay calm and do whatever possible to appear large and convince the lion you are not prey. Keep children close by and pick them up if you encounter a lion while backing up slowly and talking to the lion. Don’t run or make any sudden movements that may stimulate a lion’s instinct to attack.
If the cat behaves aggressively, throw branches, stones or whatever you can get your hands on without bending over or turning your back. Wave your arms and speak firmly to try to make the cat think you are a threat and not prey.
If a lion attacks, fight back. According to the G&F, lions have been driven away by prey that fights back and people have fought back successfully using rocks, sticks, fishing poles, garden tools or bare hands.