By Leada Gore
A strange mountain lion killed last week in Idaho has hunters and state conservation officials buzzing.
The young male mountain lion was killed by a hunter after it was involved in an attack on a dog. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game later released a photo of the cat, which shows a fully formed set of teeth and whiskers growing out of the top of the left side of its head. Wildlife officials said it’s the first time they’ve seen a deformity like this in a mountain lion.The photos quickly spread online and Friday, the department released more information on what could have caused the strange-looking growths.
While saying it cannot “definitively explain” why the abnormality occurred, conservation officials said it’s possible the teeth are the remnants of a conjoined twin. Or, it’s possible the deformity was a rare teratoma tumor, which is composed of tissue from which teeth, hair, and even fingers and toes can develop.
While this animal was unusual, Idaho officials said mountain lions are common in Idaho, where they can be legally hunted. – CarnivoreScience
