Officials in Valentine, Nebraska shot and killed a mountain lion last Thursday, a few days after the wild animal disrupted a local golf tournament, the Nebraska Examiner reported.
The 103-pound “subadult” male had been spotted on a trail camera crossing the eighth-hole green at the Frederick Peak Golf Course in Valentine on the morning of Sept. 19, said the local media outlet, quoting the golf course's management.
While none of the participants saw the lion, the tournament was cancelled midway as a precautionary measure.
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A spokesperson of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission confirmed to USA TODAY that the mountain lion was killed to ensure public safety. However, they did not clarify where the mountain lion was killed.
In the event of a mountain lion sighting in a town or city, police have the authority to remove it safely, without causing harm, to ensure public safety under the Mountain Lion Response Plan by Game and Parks, the spokesperson shared.
"The Nebraska Game and Parks and the Valentine Police Department jointly responded to a confirmed report of a mountain lion in the city," an official statement by the commission reads. "With public safety our top priority, the agencies responded according to Nebraska’s Mountain Lion Response Plan."
Mountain lions are part of Nebraska's natural diversity though attacks are rare.
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The spokesperson said that mountain lions cannot be relocated for the following reasons:
In 2022, Game and Parks approved mountain lion hunting with a maximum harvest of four cats, with a sub-limit of two females.
The goal of the harvest is to maintain the well-being and vitality of the mountain lion population by preventing an increase or a slight decrease in its size.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
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