Current:Home > FinanceNebraska officials shoot, kill mountain lion spotted on golf course during local tournament-LoTradeCoin
Nebraska officials shoot, kill mountain lion spotted on golf course during local tournament
View Date:2024-12-23 20:57:54
Officials in Valentine, Nebraska shot and killed a mountain lion last Thursday, a few days after the wild animal disrupted a local golf tournament, the Nebraska Examiner reported.
The 103-pound “subadult” male had been spotted on a trail camera crossing the eighth-hole green at the Frederick Peak Golf Course in Valentine on the morning of Sept. 19, said the local media outlet, quoting the golf course's management.
While none of the participants saw the lion, the tournament was cancelled midway as a precautionary measure.
Grabbed his head:Mountain lion attacks man who was sitting in hot tub at Colorado rental home, officials say
'Within city limits'
A spokesperson of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission confirmed to USA TODAY that the mountain lion was killed to ensure public safety. However, they did not clarify where the mountain lion was killed.
In the event of a mountain lion sighting in a town or city, police have the authority to remove it safely, without causing harm, to ensure public safety under the Mountain Lion Response Plan by Game and Parks, the spokesperson shared.
"The Nebraska Game and Parks and the Valentine Police Department jointly responded to a confirmed report of a mountain lion in the city," an official statement by the commission reads. "With public safety our top priority, the agencies responded according to Nebraska’s Mountain Lion Response Plan."
Mountain lions are part of Nebraska's natural diversity though attacks are rare.
'I only have 1 dog:'Shocked California homeowner spots mountain lion 'playing' with pet
Casual visitor:Nebraska officials actively searching for mountain lion caught on Ring doorbell camera
Why can't mountain lions be relocated?
The spokesperson said that mountain lions cannot be relocated for the following reasons:
- Public safety
- Nebraska does not have large tracts of public land with adequate habitat for a lion to be relocated. Nebraska is approximately 98% privately owned. Any mountain lion moved could quickly enter private land.
- Zoos typically do not accept adult mountain lions that have lived in the wild as these animals are stressed by people and confinement and do not do well in zoos.
- Tranquilizers can take up to 10 minutes to take effect, and animals often run after being darted. These animals may be difficult or impossible to relocate and may cross into traffic or highly populated areas in a partially drugged state.
In 2022, Game and Parks approved mountain lion hunting with a maximum harvest of four cats, with a sub-limit of two females.
The goal of the harvest is to maintain the well-being and vitality of the mountain lion population by preventing an increase or a slight decrease in its size.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
Meet Olympia and Elbroch:Philadelphia Zoo welcomes two orphaned puma cubs rescued from Washington state
veryGood! (54245)
Related
- Are Dancing with the Stars’ Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber Living Together? She Says…
- NHL record projections: Where all 32 NHL teams will finish in the standings
- Food Network Star Michael Chiarello's Company Addresses His Fatal Allergic Reaction
- Nashville officer fatally shoots man with knife holding hostage, police say
- Does the NFL have a special teams bias when hiring head coaches? History indicates it does
- NHL record projections: Where all 32 NHL teams will finish in the standings
- Pennsylvania universities are still waiting for state subsidies. It won’t make them more affordable
- California becomes the first state to ban 4 food additives linked to disease
- 'Survivor' 47, Episode 9: Jeff Probst gave players another shocking twist. Who went home?
- British TV personality Holly Willoughby quits daytime show days after alleged kidnap plot
Ranking
- AP Top 25: Oregon remains No. 1 as Big Ten grabs 4 of top 5 spots; Georgia, Miami out of top 10
- Exxon Mobil executive arrested on sexual assault charge in Texas
- Several more people arrested over a far-right German plot to launch a coup and kidnap a minister
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bill expanding conservatorship law
- MLS playoff teams set: Road to MLS Cup continues with conference semifinals
- Guatemala’s president threatens a crackdown on road blockades in support of the president-elect
- NSYNC is back on the Billboard Hot 100 with their first new song in two decades
- Starbucks releases PSL varsity jackets, tattoos and Spotify playlist for 20th anniversary
Recommendation
-
Surprise bids revive hope for offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico after feds cancel lease sale
-
Israeli survivor of Hamas attack on Supernova music festival recalls being shot and thinking, I'm gonna die
-
Israeli survivor of Hamas attack on Supernova music festival recalls being shot and thinking, I'm gonna die
-
Special counsel accuses Trump lawyers of making distorted and exaggerated claims in bid to delay documents trial
-
Disney x Lululemon Limited-Edition Collection: Shop Before It Sells Out
-
U.S. sends aircraft carrier group to eastern Mediterranean in response to Hamas attack on Israel
-
Kevin Phillips, strategist who forecast rising Republican power, dies at 82
-
Folate is crucial for prenatal care. But it could also prolong your life.