Some Wild Lion and Sheep Pics

[FullCryHounds]

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[Big Horn Posse]

OMG that totally stinks on both ends...... Looks like it was a decent sheep and what could have been a nice young cat. Least the cat pulled some fur before it died.

[Plotts]

There were some pics just like this of an incident up on the Salmon River Road several years ago. Same deal, nice ram and nice tom fell off a ledge together and died on the road.

When a lion is killing game it can really be a life threatening ordeal for both predator and prey. I found where 80 lb. female had killed an adult cow moose one time. Just picture that in your mind, the lion sneaks up on the moose, jumps up on its neck, bites the throat, and they both go crashing downhill through the timber in a life or death struggle for survival. That would have been something to see.

Thanks for sharing the pics. Any idea where it happened?

[bency]

Is that a dall sheep? and where did this happen?

[FullCryHounds]

Here's the story I got:

Background: My brother, Daniel, was visiting a friend in Montana and
touring through Glacier National Park. They were hiking up a CLOSED
ROAD when they came upon this scene. It is evident that the mountain
lion and bighorn sheep were fighting on the mountain and fell to their
immediate death sometime during the struggle. Pay special attention to
the mouth of the mountain lion.....as it still has sheep hide in its
mouth!!!! ENJOY!

James Wilder
Wildlife Biologist

[Mike Leonard]

No doubt the lion was still latched onto the sheep until they impacted the ground. This again proves what I have called the ZONE. This is that singleminded glazed eyed lock on killer zone that a cougar goes into when it is serious.

Wild sheep have been haunted from time and memorial by cougars. In nearly every North and South Amercan sheep natural habitat you will find the cougar. The very far reached of the extreme north are the exception and it is here that sheep contend with wolves and eagles more than other areas.

I support active depredation in wild sheep natural habitat or in reintroduction sites that will if successful be accessable to the public for nature study and sporting purposes. But the balance of nature has never been a fair, kind and balanced issue in the minds of modern man. Think about this: the wild sheep along with the mountain goat inhabit the most inaccessable dangerous and inclimate areas of the wilderness. Therefore hunting them has always been not just a backyard pursuit akin to loading the old 30-30 in the pickup truck and driving out of town to knock of a deer for the table. No it has reguired planning time, and bottom line if in days of long ago a commitment and resources. So why then have sheep numbers dwindled so much in nearly every area? Overhunting and poaching? Not really poaching in Mexico and the Baja and Arizona was a problem but not too much anymore. Maladys with health? Yes that has been a problem with scabies and other issues some of which spread by domestic livestock but only in isolated areas. Predators? Well yes they are feasted on by cougars and are usually rather easy prey except in cases like the photos reveal.

Eagles? Wait what eagles? They are not predators they are the American bird of freedom and many years ago we stopped the killing of all eagles and it is a federal crime to kill or trap one! Oh my! Are we getting a clue yet?

They say if we can kill all the lions around the sheep range we can just about eliminate predator loss. BS! If they truely believe that and can sell you that bill of goods then bend over they will sell you some more. Eagles decimate sheep and goat lambs and kids. I mean they hunt them every day when they are small. Not just on weekends nope those chicks have to eat and it takes a lot of lemmings, rabbits and mice to make up for lambchops.If cougars take 1/10 th. of the sheep that eagles get I would be very surprized.

[tman308]

I agree with you mike on the Eagles. I recently watched a video I got in email that showed an eagle grabbing the backs of full grown adults and dropping on the rocks below to kill them. I have also seen Eagles in Wyoming snatch up sheep like they were weightless. I guess it's just harder to outrun and manuver away from something that can fly verses something on four furry legs!

[Mike Leonard]

Eagles kill more antelope fawns than people realize. I have watched them out on the prairies swoop down on then and just knock them rolling. I have seen eagles also kill red fox, they are a pretty deadly predator.

[liontracker]

Check this video out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz7FFlFy8eM&NR=1