DENVER (KDVR) — A mountain lion was euthanized after reportedly killing two goats in Longmont, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
CPW told FOX31 that two goats were killed over the weekend near the 12000 block of North 66th Street near McCall Lake. The agency said they had received other reports about depredations in the area for the past six months. However, it’s impossible to tell if those cases were caused by the same mountain lion.
CPW set a trap and euthanized an adult female mountain lion, per policy. According to CPW’s website, mountain lions can only be killed when it is necessary to prevent them from inflicting death or injury to livestock, human life, real property or motor vehicles.
CPW said it is confident that the goats were killed by the same mountain lion that was trapped and killed.
Under current Colorado law, mountain lions are managed as big game, meaning CPW is responsible for using agency funds to reimburse landowners for the death of the livestock. CPW said annual calendar year lion damage payments averaged around $50,000 in the last three years.
Mountain lion safety tips
CPW provided the following tips on how to live safely with mountain lions.
- If you let your pet out between dusk and dawn, make your presence known and check the surrounding area.
- Place livestock in enclosed areas at night.
- Secure all outbuildings.
- Be S.M.A.R.T. and teach young children what to do if they encounter a mountain lion:
- S – Stop. Do not run.
- M – Make yourself look big.
- A – Announce your presence in an authoritative voice: “LEAVE ME ALONE, LION!”
- R – Retreat by backing away slowly.
- T – Tell an adult about the encounter.
- Report a mountain lion sighting or encounter to CPW at 970-824-6501
More information on mountain lion safety can be found on CPW’s website.
