Photo: Idaho F&G
In more proof that we live in a nuclear world, a mountain lion killed in Idaho Dec. 30 was found to have a rather jaw-dropping deformity: an extra set of teeth and whiskers growing out of its head.
The lion was taken legally about eight miles outside of Preston (thank you Napolean Dynamite). The big cat had attacked a dog near a home and was tracked and harvested according to Fish and Game protocol. But when F&G was called to the scene, the agency discovered teeth and what appeared to be whiskers growing out of the animal’s noggin.
While it isn’t immediately known why the animal had the growth, two theories are being offered: the cat could have had a conjoined twin that died in the womb; or perhaps it was a teratoma tumor. These tumors are composed of rare tissue that can spur the growth of hair, teeth and even fingers and toes and have shown up in both animals and humans.
Mountain lions are native most everywhere in North America and were once “the most widely distributed land mammal in the Northern Hemisphere,” But with development, are now relegated mostly to the West. With the significant winter, many mountain lions have been following prey down into lower elevations where they’re more likely to come in contact with humans.
