Aggressive Mountain Lions in Idaho - Potential Hybrids?

Several aggressive-acting mountain lions in Idaho have caused some public concern. One mountain lion attacking livestock and acting very aggressively, had to be put down. 

Twenty years ago a place in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, called "Ligertown," was shut down. There were over 40 big cats there including tigers, lions, and ligers.

Many of the cats were put down, some were shipped to a shelter in California, and the facility was burned to the ground, given the deplorable and unhygienic conditions. 

(LINK) Schools were shut down and the fewer than 500 residents of Lava Hot Springs were told to keep themselves and their pets inside as sheriff’s deputies, SWAT team members and SWAT team members proceeded to track and kill the 15 lions and tigers that escaped the compound Wednesday night.

Now there is a scourge of new encounters with aggressive mountain lions that has left some people wondering if they are dealing with hybridized big cats.

(LINKPOCATELLO — Authorities are asking residents to use caution while outdoors after a mountain lion confronted a man south of Pocatello late Friday night.

The encounter occurred around 11:30 p.m. at Fort Hall Mine and Portneuf roads when a mountain lion walked up to a man who was checking the game cameras he had posted near the intersection, authorities said.

The big cat startled the man and he quickly retreated to his pickup truck and drove away, according to the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office.

Some ranchers who encountered mountain lions showing aggressive behavior have reported believing there was something a bit different about their behavior and their looks that made them wonder if they were hybridized. 

I guess the question is, were all tigers, lions and ligers eliminated, were there inaccurate records kept of how many cats were in Ligertown, or did they not want to scare the public for one or two stray cats that would likely take to the wild and never encounter people? 

No matter why,  the scenario should be taken seriously as aggressive cats that have no issues coming after humans are dangerous ones.