Jennifer Jackson
Typically mountain lion sightings are rare in Idaho. Sportsmen and wildlife watchers alike recognize how elusive these animals can be in a wild setting — often to the chagrin of those hoping to catch a glimpse of North America’s biggest cat. Even when the Idaho Department of Fish and Game conducts deer and elk flights from helicopters, it is still rare that mountain lions, or cougars as they are also known, are observed.
That being said, there are those individuals who have seen mountain lions in fairly urban areas such as Pocatello and Chubbuck. Almost every year, Fish and Game receives reports of mountain lion sightings in Mink Creek, Johnny Creek or near City Creek trails. Just this past weekend, Fish and Game officers removed a male mountain lion from a tree in a Pocatello homeowner’s backyard.
Though the thought of a large predator in your backyard or on your favorite hiking trail may seem alarming, Fish and Game wants to stress that there is no need to be overly concerned about mountain lion sightings.
Mountain lions have always been a part of the wild landscape in Southeast Idaho, even near populated areas such as Pocatello and Chubbuck. You might be surprised how often these cats move around and through town without incident.
A picture of a mountain lion resting in a cottonwood tree on Mountain Drive in Pocatello on Saturday afternoon. Local residents spotted the cougar and called the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to have the animal removed from the neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of IDFG)
Because mule deer are a primary food source of mountain lions, urban deer populations can draw the cats into human settings. Human-lion interaction will undoubtedly increase as urban expansion increases.
The good news is that human-lion conflicts are still rare. The most recent attack on a human occurred in 2011 when a young boy in the Boise area was attacked by a lion after the youth and his father had gone looking for his missing dog.
They unfortunately found their dog dead, killed by a young female mountain lion, which was still at the scene. The scared boy ran but tripped and fell. The mountain lion swiped at the boy, scratching the boy’s arm and hand, before the dad fired into the air and scared the lion away.
This is the second recorded mountain lion incident involving injury to a human in Idaho. The other involved a 12-year-old boy on the Salmon River in the early 1990s.
A mountain lion can be a terrifying animal to encounter in the wild. (Photo courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Game)
So, what do you do if you come across a mountain lion?
- Never approach a mountain lion or offer it food.
- Do not run. It will likely trigger a chase response in the cat.
- Do not turn your back on the lion, crouch down or try to hide.
- Keep eye contact and back away slowly. Leave the animal an escape route.
- Make yourself look as large and intimidating as possible. Stand on a rock or stump. Open your shirt or jacket and/or spread your arms apart to appear larger than you are.
- If the lion does not leave the area, shout, wave your arms or throw objects.
- If attacked, fight back. If you have pepper spray, use it. Stay on your feet and use your backpack, sticks, rocks or hands to defend yourself.
- Any urban mountain lion sightings should be reported directly to Fish and Game. Here in Southeast Idaho, you can contact the regional office 208-232-4703. If Fish and Game cannot be reached, you can also contact your local police department or sheriff’s office.
Reducing Mountain Lion Conflicts
- Don’t feed wildlife, including deer. Do not leave pet food outside because it can attract small animals. If prey species are in the area, they can attract mountain lions.
- Feed pets indoors if possible. Keep small pets indoors, especially from dusk to dawn.
- Keep outdoor animals in secure pens. Some dog breeds may actually help deter a mountain lion.
- Avoid landscaping that attracts deer and provides hiding places for mountain lions.
- Close off spaces beneath decks, porches or sheds that can be used by lion prey species.
Idaho Fish and Game officers captured and relocated a mountain lion that was spotted on Mountain Drive in Pocatello on Saturday afternoon. (Photo courtesy of IDFG)
Mountain Lion Facts
- Mountain lions are large cats, tawny to grayish in color, weighing 80 to 200 pounds. The tail, which can range in length from 2 1/2 to 3 feet, is rope-like in appearance (not bushy) and has a black tip.
- Mountain lions have large home ranges (50 to 150 square miles).
- Most lion activity and hunting occurs from dusk to dawn.
- Mountain lions prey on deer, elk, moose, mountain goats, big horn sheep—with deer being the common prey in Idaho. They will also eat raccoons, rabbits and other small mammals. Occasionally, they will prey on domesticated pets and livestock.
- Prey items are often dragged off and covered with vegetation or dirt (cached) to be consumed at a later time.
- Breeding occurs year-round, but most commonly in winter and early spring. One to four kittens are born about three months after breeding. The young will stay with their mother for a year or more. When mountain lion sightings or conflicts are reported in urban areas, it often involves a sub-adult (young) lion — one that has likely just separated from its mother and is learning to live on its own.
For more information about mountain lions or if you have concerns or questions, please contact your nearest Idaho Fish and Game office.
Jennifer Jackson is the regional conservation educator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Southeast Region.