Officials said there was no threat to the public when a mountain lion was spotted in a backyard at 917 Highway 123 in Sunnyside late Wednesday.
Sgt. Philip Holt of the East Carbon Police Department was first on scene and said the resident, Carol Lobato, related that she had seen the cougar briefly about a week ago.
On this visit the cougar seemed content to stay put even as police and wildlife officers arrived.
Holt said they may see a mountain lion in town every couple of years but, “We have more of a problem with bears up here.”
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists responded to the call and darted the big cat, which was removed from the area and later euthanized.
DWR Conservation Outreach Manager Morgan Jacobsen said the young adult female cougar was in pretty rough shape and may have been looking for an easy meal. He said the animal was extremely malnourished, and was unlikely to recover if released.
Jacobsen said, “It is not uncommon to have encounters with cougars in Carbon County, since this is their habitat. Cougars are generally pretty elusive, but are also opportunistic. Still, conflicts are generally rare.”
For information on sharing our environment with wildlife in Utah and avoiding backyard conflicts, Jacobsen recommends the website, wildawareutah.org.
Mountain lion spotted in Sunnyside caught, killed
A resident of Sunnyside encountered this mountain lion last Wednesday. Utah DWR biologists were called in to capture the female cougar, which was extremely malnourished. After darting it, wildlife officials took the animal away, later euthanizing it. Photo courtesy Utah Division of Wildlife Resources