Mountain Lion Spotted in Kimberly

KIMBERLY, Idaho (KLIX)-A mountain lion was spotted early Thursday morning in the middle of Kimberly very close to the main street.

Video posted to Facebook by JD Lockwood shows a big cat behind the Post Office on Main Street as a vehicle pulls up behind the building. Terry Thompson with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game said the mountain lion had been spotted at around 7:30 a.m. and Conservation Officers went out to look for the animal. As of 10:30 a.m. the cat had not been located within the town.

Thompson said it doesn't happen very often, but the big cats will wonder around in the lower valley. Earlier this year a young cub was found near a farm field close to Murtaugh and was captured then sent to a zoo.

Thompson said the mountain lion seen in Kimberly will likely not be captured, typically Idaho Fish and Game does not capture predator animals. If the cat becomes a threat to public safety officers could put it down if necessary. Ideally, Thompson said, the cat will move on away from the community.