JACKSON, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) confirmed that a juvenile female mountain lion was humanely euthanized on Sunday, June 8, following a handful of sightings around Jackson over the weekend.
WGFD Large Carnivore Biologist Mike Boyce told Buckrail the agency decided to euthanize the animal due to its “extremely emaciated condition,” noting that the lion was very thin and had sustained a significant injury to its upper lip. He suspected that the lion would not have survived for much longer after losing so much muscle mass.
“Given that mountain lion’s really poor physical condition and with it hanging out in such close proximity to town, we were concerned for human safety and pets, so that decision was made,” Boyce said.
The mountain lion was reported to WGFD on Friday afternoon, June 6, when wildlife watchers spotted it on the East Gros Ventre Butte (or Saddle Butte), out behind T.J. Maxx. Boyce and his team observed the cat for hours alongside a gaggle of photographers, including Buckrail’s Nick Sulzer. Sulzer observed that the cat appeared to be drooling.
At one point, Boyce watched someone pilot a drone “right up close to the cat,” evidently trying to get a photo or a video, prompting the mountain lion to scurry up a nearby tree.
“That cat was having a hard enough time, let alone being harassed by drones and hordes of people,” Boyce said. He added that the drone pilot was later contacted by law enforcement.
After spending time in the tree on Friday, the mountain lion moved on after sundown. On Saturday, WGFD received a report from a mountain biker who had a close encounter with a mountain lion on the KC trail near Russ Garaman Park along Flat Creek. The cyclist was not harmed in the encounter, but reported having a stare-down with the lion, which walked away after a few minutes. Boyce said the lion was the same ill animal he had observed on Friday.
Following the Saturday encounter, WGFD elected to set a live trap for the animal to euthanize it. The lion was captured and euthanized on Sunday, and its carcass has been sent to a veterinary lab in Laramie for analysis, Boyce said.
WGFD receives frequent reports about mountain lions in the valley, according to Boyce. He estimates that they hear about sightings “weekly,” with many coming from subdivisions. He stressed that the decision to euthanize was not made lightly.
“It’s not like we swoop in and euthanize every cat,” Boyce said.
In the event of a mountain lion sighting, contact the WGFD’s Jackson office at (307) 733-2321, particularly if the animal appears to be aggressive and/or unhealthy. Revisit these tips for recreating in mountain lion territory before venturing out.
