ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT (AZGFD) WILDLIFE OFFICERS HAVE LETHALLY REMOVED THREE MOUNTAIN LIONS IN A NORTHWEST PRESCOTT NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER A RESIDENT REPORTED SUNDAY THAT A MOUNTAIN LION ATTACKED HIS DOG AND THAT AN ACCOMPANYING MOUNTAIN LION ACTED AGGRESSIVELY TOWARD HIM.

THE MOUNTAIN LIONS WERE PART OF A GROUP OF FOUR THAT HAVE BEEN SEEN IN PRESCOTT OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND ARE BELIEVED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING SEVERAL PET DOGS. THE FACT THAT THEY CONTINUED TO BE SEEN IN PROXIMITY TO HOMES AND PEOPLE, APPEARED TO BE LESS FEARFUL OF PEOPLE, AND WERE RECENTLY OBSERVED EXHIBITING AGGRESSIVE OR UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR TOWARD PEOPLE, CATEGORIZED THEM AS A PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT. 

THE MOUNTAIN LION THAT WAS KILLED ON SUNDAY WAS ESTIMATED TO BE A 3- TO 5-YEAR-OLD ADULT FEMALE. THE TWO OTHER MOUNTAIN LIONS, ONE KILLED TUESDAY AND ONE ON WEDNESDAY, MAY BE ADULT-SIZED OFFSPRING. 

AZGFD OFFICERS CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR A FOURTH MOUNTAIN LION IN CASE IT IS REMAINING NEAR AREAS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.  

IN SITUATIONS SUCH AS THESE, WILDLIFE OFFICERS ARE GUIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT’S HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS POLICY WHICH DESCRIBES ACCEPTABLE OR UNACCEPTABLE WILDLIFE BEHAVIORS AND THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSES.

BECAUSE THE BEHAVIOR EXHIBITED BY THESE MOUNTAIN LIONS WAS DEEMED UNACCEPTABLE AND POSED A PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT, RELOCATION WAS NOT AN OPTION AND THE ANIMALS WERE LETHALLY REMOVED.