(Video courtesy of Tyler Slade)
Three cougars caused a bit of a commotion in an east-side Salt Lake City area neighborhood on Tuesday morning — although things have since returned to normal.
According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the resident of an Olympus Cove home near 4300 South and 4000 East heard a deer being attacked in his backyard at about 6:30 a.m. Footage from his security camera showed three mountain lions, a mother with two large kittens, attacking and killing the young deer.
The attack occurred a half-mile from the Neffs Canyon trailhead, prompting Utah wildlife officials to warn the public to exercise caution when roaming the Wasatch foothills during dawn and dusk, the low-light periods when the big feline predators are active.
“It not common to have a mountain lion in a residential area. We have a good deer population in that area and several other cities,” said Scott Root, a DWR outreach director. “Anytime you have people living in a mountainous area and they have a good deer population, there is a good chance a mountain lion will come through once in a while.”
Unified Police and DWR biologists responded to the home but were unable to locate the cougars. The dead deer was removed from the property by DWR personnel so the cougars would not return to claim it.
“Typically they will cache their prey," Root said. “They could be lurking about and we want people to be careful. If anyone sees these lions, call us immediately."
As a precaution, nearby Oakridge Elementary and Churchill Junior High were briefly placed on lockdown while the deer was removed.
As of midday, the mountain lions had not been seen again, but authorities were urging residents to be cautious, be on the lookout for the animals and to notify the DWR or Unified police of any sightings.
If the animals do return, the DWR will attempt to tranquilize and relocate the cougars.
The DWR provided these tips to prevent encounters/conflicts with cougars:
Don’t hike or jog alone.
Travel in groups; keep everyone together, including children and dogs.
Make noise while hiking to alert cougars of your presence.
Leave the area if you find a dead animal, especially deer or elk. It could be a cougar kill, and the animal may return and defend its food.
Keep a clean camp. Store food and garbage in odor-free, locked containers or hung between two trees where cougars (and bears) cannot get it.
Do not leave children outside unattended, especially at dawn and dusk.
As a deterrent, install outside and motion sensitive lighting around your property.
Trim vegetation and remove woodpiles to reduce hiding places for wildlife.
Bring pets and livestock inside at night or secure them in a barn or a kennel with a top.
And the DWR provided these tips for what to do if you encounter a cougar:
Stop. Never run from a cougar. Do not approach the cougar.
Maintain eye contact.
Pick up children and pets or keep them close.
Stand up tall. Do not crouch or squat.
Make yourself look bigger by raising and waving your arms or jacket above your head.
Talk firmly in a loud voice, back away slowly and leave the area.
Fight back if you are attacked. Protect your head and neck. if you are aggressive enough the cougar will probably flee.
