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Mountain Lion Killed in Omaha

LINCOLN — Omaha police shot and killed a mountain lion near 120th and Q streets in Millard Wednesday evening.

Police responded to a call around 5 p.m. that a mountain lion was near the Project Harmony Building at 119th and Q streets. The Nebraska Humane Society also responded, as did a veterinarian. The mountain lion, a male that weighed about 120 pounds, was found to have a broken leg and to be immobile. It was unclear how long the animal have been in the area.

It is Nebraska Game and Parks Commission protocol to euthanize mountain lions found in metropolitan areas. Attempts at tranquilization and relocation are dangerous because lions can become unpredictable once darted.
“Our mountain lion response plan calls for cougars in town to be euthanized if it can safely be done, out of safety considerations for the people in the city,” said Craig Stover, Law Enforcement Administrator for Nebraska Game and Parks.

The lion is in possession of Nebraska Game and Parks, and a necropsy will be performed.

Mountain lions in Nebraska are part of a larger population that spans all western states, and animals move freely among Nebraska and neighboring states, particularly South Dakota and Wyoming.

For more information on mountain lions, visit OutdoorNebraska.org.

About Jerry Kane

Jerry Kane is the news manager with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. He can be contacted at jerry.kane@nebraska.gov or 402-471-5008.

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