Hunter Kills Unusual Cougar in ID

Nw Sportsman ^ | 1/12/2016 | Andy Walgamott

[w1n1]

A yearling mountain lion killed by a hunter in Southeast Idaho was a little toothier than usual.

It had teeth as well as fur and whiskers growing out of the left side of its head.

Fish and Game officials in Preston checked the male after it was killed in late December, and are hoping to be recontacted by the hunter to find out where the carcass is.

Spokeswoman Jennifer Jackson says that biologists would like to check it out to see from a scientific standpoint just what was going on with the cougar.

They're waiting on the hunter to return a voice mail, she says. "Jackson said the mass of teeth, hair and whiskers could be a conjoined twin that stopped developing and embedded itself on the lion while in the womb."

"Another theory, which officials say is more likely, is that the growth is a teratoma - a rare tumor that contains extremities like teeth and hair."

While deformities have been documented in domesticated animals, they're not so well known in the wild. The struggle to survive is tough enough as it is, but to grow to adulthood with one would be difficult, Jackson says.

On the flip side, she says an albino moose in Southeast Idaho was able to reproduce. Read the rest of the cougar story here.

[TonyM]

Caused by global warming no doubt.

[Roger Kaputnik]

It’s a birth defect. Birth defects happen in all mammals.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

:: On the flip side, she says an albino moose in Southeast Idaho was able to reproduce ::

I’m okay, now...but it was tough run to get laid!

[archy]

It had teeth as well as fur and whiskers growing out of the left side of its head.

Killed it right outside the Idaho National Laboratory, they did!

[Billthedrill]

Fishing's pretty good down that way, too.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

LOL. My first thought was how far away from Arco did this happen?

[archy]

On the flip side, she says an albino moose in Southeast Idaho was able to reproduce ::

I'm okay, now...but it was tough run to get laid!

Johnny Winters was playing at the Moose Lodge? Who knew?

[archy]

Fishing's pretty good down that way, too.

I noticed.

[21twelve]

It’s been a long time since I’ve been out to the INEL, but I think those might be protoypes of nuclear airplane engines. IIRC they ran - but never made it onto an airplane.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

[rjsimmon]

I bet the other cougars made fun of him...

[Georgia Girl 2]

It was likely a twin and the fetus of the cougar did not fully absorb the other twin before birth. This happens in people also. It not uncommon.

[To Hell With Poverty]

Freakitty ping

[Slings and Arrows]

[freedomlover]

Looks more like he has a chicken looking over his shoulder

[17th Miss Regt]

I bet the other cougars made fun of him...

Then one foggy Christmas Eve,.....

[archy]

It's been a long time since I've been out to the INEL, but I think those might be protoypes of nuclear airplane engines. IIRC they ran - but never made it onto an airplane.

Ground view:

HTRE-3, left, and HTRE-1, right, on display at the Idaho National Laboratory near Arco, Idaho

The NB-36H flew. Per Wikipedia: The NB-36H completed 47 test flights and 215 hours of flight time (during 89 of which the reactor was operated) between September 17, 1955, and March 1957 over New Mexico and Texas. Although it was never used, there was a direct hotline to the President's office set up in case of a nuclear accident on board the aircraft.

[archy]

You're my favourite mistake!

[archy]

I bet the other cougars made fun of him...

Then one foggy Christmas Eve,.....

All of the other reindeer USED to laugh and call him names....