Mountain Lion Euthanized by Nebraska Wildlife Officials After Disrupting Middle School Girls' Golf Tournament

A mountain lion was euthanized by Nebraska wildlife officials earlier in September after the big cat disrupted a middle school girls' golf tournament, according to recent reports.

The 103-pound wild animal was shot by the officials after it was spotted by a trail camera at the Frederick Peak Golf Course in the city of Valentine, Nebraska. The incident was reportedly conducted in a humane manner in accordance with existing protocol to ensure public safety, golf officials say.

Mountain Lion Disrupts Golf Tournament

Days after the wild animal disrupted the golf tournament, Nebraska wildlife officials euthanized the "subadult" male mountain lion after it was captured in camera at the said golf course on September 19. Prior to the death of the animal, the sighting caused the cancellation of the golf tournament, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Although no participants saw the wild cat, the animal was seen by camera walking across the 8^th hole of the golf course, leading to the said cancellation of the game as a precautionary measure to the incident. Officials from the commission and Valentine Police Department collaborated to respond to the Nebraska mountain lion, which was within city limits during that time.

According to Sam Wilson, the program manager of carnivores at the commission, the lion was removed in the golf course in line with the agency's Mountain Lion Response Plan, which calls for mountain lions within city limits to be removed safely for public safety. Wilson said the animals are not shot with tranquilizer guns since it will take several minutes for them to take effect, allowing the lions to escape.

Nebraska Mountain Lions

Nebraska is a state in the Midwest region of the United States and it is bordered by South Dakota in the north, Iowa in the east, and Kansas in the south.

Also called the Cornhusker State, Nebraska is known as a habitat for different wild animals, including the North American river otter, bighorn sheep, elk, pronghorn antelope, raccoon, bald eagle, gray wolf, bobcat, American bison, and prairie dogs.

Most of all, Nebraska has a localized population of mountain lions, which have recolonized three areas in the state: the Pine Ridge, Wildcat Hills, and Niobrara River Valley, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

While the commission values the long-term survival and sustainability of the mountain lion species (Puma concolor), sometimes called a puma, cougar, catamount, and panther, it also allows hunting opportunities for the animals but with restrictions.

Mountain Lion Attacks

Aside from Nebraska, mountain lions also live in other states across the country, including Washington, California, and Arizona. With this, mountain lion attacks in the US and North America have been recorded in recent years.

Between 1890 and 1994, 64 mountain lion attacks and 13 human fatalities occurred in North America. This number has increased to 126 attacks and 27 fatalities as of 2022, according to the website AZ Animals.