March 13, 2023 |
Photo – Mountain Lion in Saratoga – Courtesy Catherine West
With at least one mountain lion spotted in Saratoga, Wyoming Game and Fish biologists want the public to have more information about how to stay safe around big cats.
Last month, bathers at the Hobo Hot Pools reported seeing a mountain lion in the vicinity. The Saratoga Police Department and Wyoming Game and Fish were not able to locate the animal, despite using high-tech surveillance equipment. A deer carcass was located in the area.
Last Thursday, another mountain lion was seen spotted near the center of town between First Street and the river. A search by police and WGFD failed to corner the big cat. Authorities haven’t determined if the cat spotted last week is the same one from February, but chances are high that it is. Wyoming Game and Fish Biologist Teal Cufaude explained why at the big cat has made its way into the town.
Or not so discreetly, in this case. Last Thursday’s cat was witnessed by several Saratoga residents. Cufaude said when Game Warden Levi Wood arrived on site, the mountain lion had disappeared. The cat is likely still in town somewhere, Cufaude said.
A mountain lion has been reported in town on more than one occasion. Cufaude said a wounded big cat was seen around the golf course at the beginning of the year. She said it’s likely to be the same animal spotted last week.
Cufaude said Wyoming Game and Fish does not have an accurate number of how many mountain lions are in the area. Their illusive nature makes them harder to count than animals such as mule deer or elk. She said a few big cats make their way into town each winter, but it is a small percentage of the overall population.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department considers the entire area around Saratoga to be large carnivore country. Cufaude said mountain lions and black bears make their homes in the Platte River Valley and surrounding mountains. She gave basic tips for avoiding contact with large predators.
If you encounter a mountain lion in the wild, Cufaude said the most important thing to remember is: Don’t run. She said mountain lions have a prey drive similar to a domestic cat. However, unlike your pet cat Fluffy, a mountain lion can seriously injure or even kill you.
Cufaude said mountain lions tend to inhabit open spaces with access to game, such as the area near Pennock Mountain. If you spot a big cat in a populated area, the Game and Fish biologist said to call her department or local police.
Cufaude said the Wyoming Game and Fish Department will trap and remove the mountain lion, or lions, once biologists are able to locate the animal. Until then, she recommended people call the Saratoga Police Department at 326-8316 if they see a predator in town.
