Roadkill lion Wildcat Hills, NE

[Emily]

http://www.nebraska.tv/story/19405273/v ... cottsbluff

Vehicle hits, kills mountain lion near Scottsbluff

Posted: Aug 29, 2012 8:43 AM EDT
Updated: Aug 29, 2012 8:43 AM EDT
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) - State officials say a mountain lion has been struck and killed by a vehicle south of Scottsbluff, making it the second recent death of 1 of the animals in the Nebraska Panhandle.

The mountain lion, also known as a cougar, was struck Monday night near the Wildcat Hills Nature Center.

KQSQ radio in Chadron reports (http://bit.ly/Ou0Eh7 ) Nebraska Game and Parks staffers have documented mountain lions in the Wildcat Hills, but there isn't believed to be a resident population. Up to 20 mountain lions live farther north in the Pine Ridge area.

Although native to Nebraska, most mountain lions were killed by the early 1900s. They weren't confirmed again in the state until 1991.

On Aug. 18, a mountain lion was euthanized after being found in a tree in Kimball.

Information from: KQSK-FM, http://www.doubleqcountry.com/kqskchadron.html

MT LION HIT, KILLED BY VEHICLE IN WILDCAT HILLS
By John Axtell
Aug 28, 2012 - 3:57:57 PM
The Nebraska State Patrol says a male mountain lion was struck and killed by a vehicle last night on Highway 71 south of Gering near the entrance of the Wildcat Hills Nature Center. The accident occurred around 10 p.m.

Nebraska Game and Parks staffers retrieved the carcass of the young male weighing approximately 110 pounds and will use the pelt for educational efforts in the area.

Game and Parks has documented mountain lions in the Wildcat Hills, where steep slopes and woody cover create appropriate habitat, but not a resident population.

The agency does believe the Pine Ridge area farther north has a resident population of 10-to-20 mountain lions.

Mountain lions were native to Nebraska, but had been killed off by the early 20th century and were not confirmed again in the state until 1991.

Since then, there have been 73 confirmations of mountain lions in Nebraska outside the Pine Ridge.

A 90-pound male cougar was euthanized by Game and Parks a week ago Saturday in Kimball after it was found in a tree in a residential area. Agency policy calls for killing the big cats in such cases.