Cougar: He didn't need to be killed
First, my compliments for an outstanding job handling the cougar by the rescuers. IDFG biologists and employees, Cd’A Fire Department and Cd’A Police successfully sedated the cougar, safely removed it from the tree and placed it in a carry container for relocation.
The cougar appeared as an exemplary example of a young, strong, elusive and smart sentient young cougar navigating through several miles of residential neighborhoods and into a heavily populated commercial area without incident and not aggressive, maybe over a period of time. The decision to rescue him was right and the successful skill rescuing was excellent.
However, the decision by upper management of the USDA’s IDFG Department afterward to euthanize the healthy Big Cat was questionable concerning today’s controversial old-school wildlife crisis management issues and compassionate public opinion. I might call it a heartless “hip shot” response, especially concerning the cougar’s life, and all the rescuers and our “Big Cat Community” whose concern for the Big Cat was expressed!
The issue of relocating to the wild is controversial as IDFG’s biologist Jim Hayden stated. But my belief is this young cat especially was more than capable of holding his own in unfamiliar territory if returned free to the wild. He was already a young male transient looking for a place to settle and eventually a mate. Besides, cougars have co-existed with their families, each other and humans along the western mountains of North, Central and South America for centuries.
I think he deserved a chance to be relocated and freed, even for a possibly short time before nature or our heartless human sport/trophy hunters ended his freedom. Killing him immediately after rescue is not an option or nature!
Let’s take a little more compassionate stance concerning our nation’s treasured beautiful and magnificent Big Cat, the Cougar/Mountain Lion/Puma, and learn to live with them.
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James H. Mundy IV is aBig Cat Specialist who lives in Coeur d’Alene.