Group wants mother cougar released near Jackson

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — A group that works to protect cougars wants
wildlife officers to release a mother cat that’s been killing deer near homes
in the Jackson area.

The cougar was captured Monday but her two kittens have eluded
authorities.

The Cougar Fund says releasing the mother will help ensure the
survival of the kittens.

Department spokesman Mark Gocke told the Jackson Hole Daily
(http://bit.ly/z2MZV7 ) that releasing the mother wouldn’t be safe. He said
officers tried everything to scare the family away but he says they’ve become
habituated to the area.

Wildlife officials and representatives of the Cougar Fund have
both speculated that the cats may have been drawn there because people have
been feeding deer in the area in recent years. That’s prohibited by Teton
County land regulations.