CHUBBUCK — The police chief of this Southeast Idaho city is encouraging residents to keep a watchful eye over their outside pets after receiving multiple reports of a mountain lion cub roaming neighborhoods.
Chubbuck Police Chief Bill Guiberson on Monday said that there have been two reported sightings of a mountain lion cub on opposite sides of town over the last week.
The reports have described the lion as a cub, Guiberson said, adding that no law enforcement officer has been in contact with the predator to confirm the age. Guiberson said that Fish and Game has been notified.
The first sighting was reported on Monday, March 26, around 7:10 p.m. in the 500 block of East Chubbuck Road. The second sighting occurred on Saturday around 9:50 p.m. on the other end of town in the 900 block of Margaret Street.
Police said the Margaret Street resident was alerted by her barking dogs. Then she saw the mountain lion cub.
“On both occasions the officers arrived to the scene and couldn’t observe the animal, which is typically the case,” Guiberson said. “These animals are pretty crafty. Mountain lions will generally leave people be, but we encourage folks to leave it alone and to contact the local authorities or Fish and Game for assistance.”
Mountain lions are predatory animals that rely on deer as a primary food source, said Marc Porter, the Idaho Fish and Game West District enforcement supervisor. When the deer migrate to and from higher elevations, mountain lions aren’t close behind, he added.
“Unless the mountain lion is really sick or starving they tend to keep to themselves,” Porter said. “But if the lion in question is in fact a young cub then it does raise some questions about what happened to its mother.”
Mountain lions are legal to hunt in Idaho near Chubbuck, said Porter, adding that the season ended on March 31. It’s possible the mother of a cub was killed during the season, he said.
Local residents are encouraged to take in any food usually left outside for their pets because it could attract the animal. Further, mountain lions have been known to attack house cats, he said.
“Just like any wild animal, don’t approach the lion no matter how big or small it appears to be,” Porter said.
If the lion is located and captured, Porter said it is the typical practice of Fish and Game to try and relocate the animal. If it is too young to survive on its own Fish and Game will attempt to find a home in captivity for the lion, he added.
Over the last several years, there have been several mountain lion sightings throughout Southeast Idaho, Guiberson said.
“In the years I’ve been here, wildlife encounters are not unusual experiences,” he said. “We do live in Idaho and animals tend to find their way into town now and again on accident.”
Though on one occasion, what was reported to be a small mountain lion turned out to be a large farm cat, Guiberson said. Mistaken identity reports are not all that uncommon, said Porter, adding that he still encourages residents to report any possible lion sightings and to refrain from coming in contact with the animal.
If you spot the mountain lion, please contact Chubbuck police at 208-237-7172 or Fish and Game at 208-232-4703.
“Mountain lions are extremely elusive,” Guiberson said. “These cats are usually spooked by human contact, but we encourage people if they see a mountain lion to report it immediately.”
