LEWISTON - Fish and Game officers had the nerve-wracking task of helping out an angry mountain lion caught in a trap in the Clearwater region of North Idaho.
According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, a trapper contacted the agency in February after the mountain lion became caught in one of his traps.
Conservation officers shot video of the encounter as they worked to free the animal.
In the video, the officers use catch poles to secure the lion and get it on the ground. One of the officers is then able to pull the trap off of the front paw of the thrashing cat.
After removing the catch poles, the animal quickly runs away.
Officials say the trap was a leg hold trap, which securely holds the animal, usually without injuring it. Officers were unable to closely examine the mountain lion, but do not believe it was injured.
Mountain lions caught in traps are generally released back to the wild as long they are not near communities and it is safe to do so.
