Wyoming Wildlife Officials Kill Mountain Lion In Lander

Wyoming Game and Fish officials say a mountain lion had to be lethally removed from Lander.

According to a news release, the female sub-adult female was previously captured at a park inside city limits, fitted with a radio collar and relocated to a remote area within a different river draining.

The big cat returned to the Middle Fork Popo Agie drainage within a week.

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Monday evening, Game and Fish received reports that a deer was covered with wood chips in a yard along the street in Lander. An investigation confirmed that the deer was a mountain lion kill. Game and Fish then coordinated with Lander Police, located the cat and removed her.

“Relocation is tough with mountain lions because of how far they can move, but based on the initial circumstance of the capture on New Year’s we felt it was proper to try,” Game and Fish Large Carnivore Supervisor Dan Thompson said in the news release. “However, because of the failed relocation attempt and the bold behavior within the City, for human safety, we felt the best option was lethal removal,”

Game and Fish says mountain lions often use river and stream drainages as natural travel corridors, which can sometimes lead them into developed areas. In fact, Game and Fish said it's not surprising that a mountain lion was moving through town.

But that doesn't mean Game and Fish promotes them making a living in Lander — or any Wyoming city.

Wildlife officials remind the public not to feed wildlife as doing so could encourage wild animals to stick around in developed areas.

Any incidents involving mountain lions should be reported as soon as possible to your local Game and Fish regional office.