The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has euthanized three mountain lions in Kendrick.
According to a news release, the three young cougars were discovered Saturday living under the deck of a residence.
To protect public safety, officers trapped and euthanized them.
Officials say mountain lions that become comfortable in an urban setting not only pose a public safety risk, but it’s difficult and risky to relocate them.
According to the news release, north Idaho’s mountain lion population is healthy, and the cats are very territorial. One reason lions stray into towns and neighborhoods is they’re often pushed out of wildlands by dominant cats, typically mature males.
Fish and Game says a mountain lion released back into the wild is unlikely to fare well in another cat’s territory, and there’s a risk of it returning to populated or adjacent areas and potentially injuring and killing people, livestock and pets. Fish and Game officials are unwilling to take that risk considering there’s an abundant mountain lion population in North Central Idaho and throughout the state.
