Cougar struck by motorist, killed on Golden Valley interstate

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — A motorist struck and killed a cougar on an interstate within the west metro.

A video, posted Wednesday morning on Fb, exhibits what seems to be an SUV with heavy front-end injury and a lifeless cougar on the facet of the street.  

The driving force tells WCCO that the crash passed off in Golden Valley on Interstate 394 close to Freeway 100. The driving force is sore, however doing alright. 

The incident comes days after a cougar was noticed roaming by means of the Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis. Metropolis officers on Tuesday stated it was noticed once more close to Kenwood Park. They consider it was touring on widespread trails close to Lake of the Isles.

Cougars are not often seen within the state however sometimes do seem, in response to the Minnesota Division of Pure Sources. Since 2004, there have been 77 verified cougar sightings.

DNR Wildlife Populations Supervisor Dan Stark instructed WCCO there’s nothing to straight hyperlink the cougar struck early Wednesday morning with the one noticed in Lowry Hill, but it surely’s almost definitely the identical one because the space does not see many cougars.

Stark stated the cougar that was killed is now in his company’s possession. They are going to assess its situation to get fundamental data about it, to find out whether or not it was being held captive, what sort of existence it had, and take samples to ship to their lab.

Conservation officers guess that the cougar traveled from the Western Dakotas or Northwestern Nebraska, as there is not a longtime inhabitants of the animal in Minnesota. A number of the closest cougar populations will be discovered within the Black Hills.

When you encounter a cougar, you are suggested to “make your self seem bigger and converse loudly and firmly” to scare them off, the DNR stated. Don’t shoot the animal, as they’re a protected species.

The DNR says anybody who sees the animal ought to report the encounter to a conservation officer or native regulation enforcement officers so proof will be documented. You too can name the DNR straight at 651-296-6157.

This can be a growing story, so verify again for extra.