GIBBON — A mountain lion sighting in Gibbon has been confirmed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
A mountain lion was sighted on Sunday near Gibbon, said Sam Wilson, carnivore biologist with Nebraska Game and Parks. Game and Parks investigated the area north of Gibbon, and an image confirmed the sighting.
Bobby Trujillo’s trail camera captured the photo of the mountain lion on his property. The Wood River runs on three different sides of the land, and there is an abundance of deer and raccoons in the vicinity, Trujillo said. The previous owners of the property told Trujillo that they had seen mountain lion tracks there in the past, but this is the first time Trujillo has seen a cougar at his home.
The mountain lion is pictured next to a trap with an opossum inside. Trujillo waited about two hours after spotting the mountain lion to let the opossum out of the trap. The cougar did not damage the trap.
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Wilson explained that mountain lions found outside the panhandle of Nebraska are typically dispersing young animals. Once mountain lion kittens reach early maturity, they will disperse to find their own territory. They often will travel hundreds of miles, and move anywhere from three to 20 miles in a day, Wilson said. They may stay in an area for a few days if they have killed a deer, but they typically are on the move.
On Thursday morning, Trujillo said his dogs began “going crazy” at 2 a.m., and his son spotted something big and brown outside. The family is taking precautions by keeping their chickens in a coop and not letting their dogs roam.
If a person encounters a mountain lion, Wilson advises them to use common sense and not to approach the animal. Mountain lions often will flee when they encounter humans, he said.
If people do see or get other photos of mountain lions, Wilson asks they report it to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.