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Cougar roaming near southwestern Idaho school euthanized

A 13-year-old cougar opens her mouth and makes a chirping sound to call her mate Sept. 8, 2010, at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Ore. (Don Ryan / ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A 13-year-old cougar opens her mouth and makes a chirping sound to call her mate Sept. 8, 2010, at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Ore. (Don Ryan / ASSOCIATED PRESS)

BOISE – Wildlife officials say a mountain lion found roaming near a southwestern Idaho elementary school was put down.

According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the wild cat was spotted in a tree near Bruneau Elementary School in Bruneau on Wednesday morning.

KTVB-TV reports the cat’s appearance caused the school to go on lockdown.

Fish and Game Wildlife Manager Rick Ward says they asked to the Owyhee County Sheriff’s Office to send personnel to respond to the incident since the department did not have a conversation officer immediately available to respond.

With the help of a houndsman and his dogs, the sheriff’s office was able to corner the 82-pound female cat into a tree where it was shot and killed.