Editor’s note: The original version of this story incorrectly reported that a mountain lion was captured in an outdoor camera video sent to Buckrail by a Hidden Ranch resident. Game and Fish Big Game Biologist Daniel Thompson confirmed to Buckrail on Tuesday, May 7, that the cat walking in the webcam video is a regular domestic house cat.
JACKSON, Wyo. — On Saturday, May 4, a resident’s webcam captured a cat sniffing the ground and casually walking across the yard late evening around 11:30 p.m. Homeowner Katy Hollbacher told Buckrail that she suspected that the cat was a mountain lion.
Game and Fish Big Game Biologist Daniel Thompson confirmed to Buckrail on Tuesday, May 7 at 8:45 a.m., that the cat walking in a Hidden Ranch resident’s webcam video is a regular domestic house cat. Thompson said that it is quite common to mistake a house cat for a mountain lion on video. Game and Fish ask people to verify with the local Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) office if they have a video, pic, track, etc. that might look like a lion, bear, wolf, etc.
The owner of the cat in question, Carrie Kruse, reached out to Buckrail to confirm it was her cat seen prowling around in the late evening.
“We can confirm his name is Coco and he is the mayor of Hidden Ranch,” Kruse said of the mix up. “Though he is not a pregnant Mountain Lion, he’s flattered to be confused as such.”
Over the years, there have been actual mountain lion sightings in the Hidden Ranch neighborhood, along with domestic house cat sightings.
“We’ve not had other sightings although neighbors have reported mountain lion sightings over the years,” Hollbacher said. “Our next door neighbor to the north reported seeing one in their backyard about three years ago, and another neighbor at the end of the street saw one lounging on their deck a couple of years ago. Otherwise, we’ve seen only foxes since putting up the wildlife cam last November.”
According to the WGFD, it is not uncommon for residents to see mountain lions in Wyoming. Typically, mountain lions will just pass through residential areas, because neighborhoods are not an ideal habitat for them. WGFD offers tips to stay safe in mountain lion country.
- Reduce risk by not recreating alone. Groups of people make plenty of noise, reducing the chance of surprising a mountain lion.
- Never approach a mountain lion. All wild animals are unpredictable. Most mountain lions try to avoid confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
- Stay calm. When encountering a lion, talk in a calm and firm manner. Move away slowly. Look big by raising arms and don’t run because sudden movement can stimulate a lion’s instinct to attack.
- Keep a close eye on children playing outdoors. Try to have children inside between dusk and dawn. The buddy system works well.
- Don’t feed wildlife. Feeding wildlife can attract animals like mountain lions to residential areas.
- Bring pets inside at night. Roaming pets are an easy food source for mountain lions. If a pet is left outside, keep it in a kennel with a secure top. Do not feed pets outside, this can attract mountain lions and their prey.
- Keep the perimeter of the house well-lit at night. Keeping the perimeter well-lit, especially along long walkways, can make lions visible and discourage activity.
- Be aware of areas with thick cover. During the day, mountain lions try to find cool, quiet spaces to bed down. Be aware of these areas.
- It is critical to immediately report sightings of mountain lions to the local Game and Fish personnel.
Sightings are to be reported to Game and Fish at 1-877-WGFD-TIP (1-877-943-3847) or the non-emergency Police Department phone.
