Two orphaned mountain lion kittens took refuge behind hay bales in a barn in Meadows near McCall, much to the surprise of the property owners and their horses. Too small to make it on their own, and after several weeks of becoming habituated to and fed by humans, Fish and Game decided that a captive facility would be the best option for these naïve youngsters.
It took some time to find a facility that would take them both, but space was ultimately was secured at Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania.
With a new home waiting, F&G wildlife biologists and conservation officers from McCall put in motion a two-step plan. First, baited live-traps were set in the barn overnight in hope the kittens would investigate the food and catch themselves. Success on the second night! Then the kittens were transferred from the live-traps to large crates for safe transport. After a stop at the Wildlife Health Lab in Nampa for a full physical exam, the brother-sister kittens were Pennsylvania-bound.
Here's how it was done: