Wildlife Control Experts
Officials Are On The Lookout For A Cougar That Has Been Killing Pets And Livestock
The chances of being attacked by a wild animal are incredibly slim, but there’s almost no chance at all that a cougar will attack a human, even in the wild where the human population is relatively low. One of the very few exceptions occurred earlier this year, when two Washington state residents were stalked by a cougar while mountain biking in the Cascade Mountains. The cougar killed one of the mountain bikers while the other managed to escape uninjured. Amazingly, this recent death is only the second human death that has resulted from a cougar attack in the past 100 years. However, if you are a non-human animal, then your chances of being attacked and killed by a cougar rise dramatically. A cougar that allegedly killed pets and livestock in Utah is currently being pursued by animal control authorities.
Last weekend, wildlife officials spotted and fatally shot a cougar that was believed to have killed livestock as well as people’s pets. However, just days after this cougar’s demise, more livestock turned up dead, and their wounds suggest that another cougar was the culprit, or did officials kill the wrong cougar?
A shocking and sad video that was posted online shows the now deceased first cougar culprit with a dead cat clenched in its jaws. After this cougar was killed another Utah resident living in Eden found two of his goats mutilated in what experts now believe was the work of another murderous cougar. A veterinarian who examined the dead animals that were believed to have been victims of the first cougar are now saying that the injuries are consistent with an attack by two cougars. Now, wildlife officials are searching for yet another cougar. In an effort to bait the fugitive cougar, the remains of the recently killed goats were laid near the attack site by authorities, but the cougar did not return. Wildlife officials plan on euthanizing the cougar once it is found because it is believed that relocating the animal would only lead to similar violent incidents in the future.
Have you ever encountered a cougar or a mountain lion in the wild?