Mountain Lion in Ruidoso, NM (Silver City: house, neighborhood, elementary school)

[piyf]

The mound next to him is a deer he/she covered with dirt. I know lions are in the woods but sheesh look how big that sum ***** is. It was shot and killed unfortunately.

[Dogmama50]

What a beautiful animal, sad she was shot, but it seems like she was a little too close to the house to be comfortable with.

[piyf]

In the email it said this house was right by an elementary school.

[TKO]

The drought is rough on critters in particular. Green grass draws the deer and they draw the lions and...doesn't seem fair but it never is. I understand shooting the one in downtown El Paso a little more, specially after they tried to tranq it first. Maybe Game&Fish's presence in Ruidoso isn't enough to have handled it.

[catman]

The fact that the animal was killed makes me very sad. It seems like they could have done better than that.

[Poncho_NM]

Mountain lion killed after being spotted in Ruidoso residential area by Jim Kalvelage / Ruidoso News Posted: 05/20/2011

From the article at: Mountain lion killed after being spotted in Ruidoso residential area - El Paso Times A cougar was shot and killed by a New Mexico Game and Fish Department officer after being spotted in a Ruidoso residential neighborhood. Officials were unable, after several tries, to chase the cougar out when it was reportedly found outside a Ruidoso home just several blocks from the White Mountain Schools campus. "In this particular case, the lion didn't show fear to humans," Redman said. "It was run off three different times and kept on returning." Other incidents regarding mountain lions include two attacks in separate instances, one resulting in the death of a Silver City-area man, in 2008.

[joqua]

Coincidentally, the killing of a mountain lion in the Ruidoso area comes just days after a similar killing of one that made it all the way into the downtown area of El Paso. Here's the article in the El Paso paper:

MOUNTAIN LION IN EL PASO

[Debzherenow]

It saddens me that these beautiful animals died. As they were females I hope they didn't leave behind cubs who will starve.

[JDTH]

Originally Posted by Debzherenow

It saddens me that these beautiful animals died. As they were females I hope they didn't leave behind cubs who will starve.

Would you rather have the cougar hunt down the kids at the school? I also think it is a shame that they killed the cougar as there are other ways to deal with the situation. It will be a tough time in the Ruidoso area for wild animals all summer as long as the drought continues.

[mtncat]

Beautiful animal. With the lack of moisture and the rather odd winters we have had the last two years the animals are acting rather odd. Sat and watched a bear yesterday morning about 10:30 He was just out wandering around a couple hundred yards from where I was working. He knew I was there! Strange thing about him was he only had 3 legs. So not only is the natural food supply down he is not able to hunt like a normal bear. He is going to be one to keep an eye on safety wise.
Have also seen bull elk still in rut and fighting as early as a week ago. This is a fall activity.
Been staying busy with nuisance wildlife calls and even had a couple of "different" skunk issues here recently.
Keep your eyes open folks, keep anything that might attract nuisance wildlife in a secure place. Helps keep the wildlife alive!