Fish and Game traps and euthanizes female lion and pulls remaining traps from Hailey

Following becoming established for 10 times, Fish and Recreation officers have pulled the remaining mountain lion traps from a Hailey community, right after capturing and euthanizing two mountain lions to defend general public basic safety. The lions were taken out just after they experienced become habituated to living within Hailey town restrictions and leading to security concerns among region citizens. 

A young lion was captured and euthanized on Friday, March 17.

An grownup female was captured on Tuesday, March 21 and euthanized on Wednesday, March 22.

A 2nd younger lion has not been captured, even with makes an attempt about several days. Remote cameras positioned near the traps did not detect the younger lion in the space about the similar time time period.

The decision to entice and take away the mountain lions was a outcome of lion habits that progressed from sightings to the grownup woman hissing and baring its tooth at a Hailey resident, and indications that the lions had turn into pretty comfy dwelling subsequent to households. 

The number of mountain lion studies to the Magic Valley Regional place of work of Fish and Video game has been steadily expanding because Oct 1, 2022, with about 85 phone calls getting recorded by late March. When most of the phone calls are observations, Fish and Activity is mindful of non-fatal assaults on many puppies and residents getting to be ever more anxious about lions getting up residence in their neighborhoods.

Due to the fact the onset of winter, Fish and Video game conservation officers have responded to these stories by giving basic safety information to home owners, supporting owners block mountain lion access to day mattress destinations in and all over houses and outbuildings, and when achievable, working with non-lethal hazing that consists of working with rubber slugs and buckshot, aerial cracker shells and pepper balls shot from an air rifle. All of these tactics are used in an try to really encourage the mountain lions to leave the place.

When their enforcement obligations make it possible for, conservation officers have also been particularly chaotic taking away various lion-killed deer and elk from neighborhood yards to reduce the chances of a surprise face with a lion shielding its food stuff resource.

Conservation officers can only react and examine studies of mountain lions in and about Wooden River Valley communities and neighborhoods if reports are built by citizens. It is critical that citizens proceed to report mountain lion sightings, as properly as any encounters or missing animals, to the Magic Valley Regional Business at (208) 324-4359 so that officers can keep on to keep track of the conduct of the lions and evaluate prospective dangers to general public security. 

Mountain lion security

Wildlife professionals concur that if a human being is in near proximity to a lion, which means they see it, they should:

• Hardly ever run away from a mountain lion. The lion’s instinct is to chase and in the end capture what they understand as potential prey.
• In no way turn your again on a lion. Normally experience them whilst building your self glance as large as you can. Yell loudly, but never scream. A large-pitched scream may well mimic the audio of a wounded animal.
• Slowly but surely again absent although protecting eye get in touch with with the lion. 
• Safety devices you may opt for to carry could involve bear spray, a sounds gadget, like an air-horn, and if you walk in the dark, a pretty vivid flashlight.
• If you are attacked, fight again!

Historical past of lion removal in the Wood River Valley

Prior to the current removals of two mountain lions, the previous time a mountain lion was euthanized in the Wood River Valley was in in January 2020 when a significant male lion was eradicated for public safety as it ran throughout the Woodside Subdivision. At the time of the incident, college small children had been being unveiled from the regional grade faculty. Fish and Recreation officers tried to haze the lion out of the subdivision, but the lion began to exhibit raising stages of aggression. To secure the community safety of Hailey citizens and their college aged little ones the lion was euthanized.

In December 2019 a mountain lion was euthanized after it killed two dogs on the very same early morning in Ketchum, in the area of Heat Springs. The lion was tracked to an adjacent property exactly where it was uncovered under the deck of a home.

In January 2019 a mountain lion was euthanized immediately after it killed a canine in Ketchum in the area of Heat Springs. 

Euthanizing wildlife

In the long run, when lions or any other wildlife will become a public protection difficulty, the most humane and accountable option, particularly when working with predators, is often to euthanize it, but that is not a determination that Fish and Sport workers requires flippantly.

“Fish and Match team have ongoing conversations about wildlife and how wildlife actions can effect general public protection for Wood River Valley citizens and their animals,” Magic Valley Regional Supervisor Craig White explained. “We will constantly err on the facet of community safety when wildlife and people share the same room, specifically when that room is in communities exactly where family members live and work.” 

For additional details about how to stay protected all-around wildlife, check out the Wood River Valley Wildlife Sensible Communities site.