The yearling mountain lion had a strange deformity.
Biologists working for Idaho’ Fish and Game Department are baffled after a hunter brought in what appeared to be a yearling mountain lion. In Preston, a hunter discovers a deformed mountain lion.
According to the hunter’s testimony, the yearling mountain lion was legally gunned down on the 30th of December, during a hunt which took place just outside Preston.
After the hunter took down its game, he immediately submitted the carcass to the nearby Fish and Game check station. Upon a closer inspection of the animal, the members working for Idaho’s Fish and Game Department have discovered that the animal presented a strange deformity in the head area.
Naturally, after reporting their findings, other wildlife researchers became interested in the case. Jennifer Jackson, the active Conservation Educator in Pocatello, declared that the animal’s carcass was legally harvested from the 42nd Hunting Unit, situated near Weston.
Taking a great interest in the case, Jackson and her colleagues declared that they have yet to encounter a similar case. Wildlife biologist came along in order to inspect the animal’s corpse.
Upon a closer inspection, the wildlife biologist found traces of what could have been whiskers, fur, and teeth. They theorized that the ectopic formation can be the result of conjoined twin, partially absorbed by the mountain lion.
There is also another lead followed by the wildlife biologists. Some of them suspect that the yearling mountain lion could have suffered from a cancerous formation known as a teratoma.
Although teratomas are highly rare in animals, biologists did find traces of this kind of tumor in mares and canines.
A teratoma, also known as a monstrous, is an outgrowth that usually contains organs and tissues which highly resemble the ones they have been derived from. According to certain clinical observations, teratomas are usually benign tumors, although there have been some cases where teratomas contained malignant cells.
In terms of morphology, as stated, teratomas can contain derivated tissue or organs. Some medical reports stated that inside these monstrous tumors, doctors found hair, teeth, bones. In very rare instances, doctors were even able to find fully developed organs such as eyes, hands, feet, limbs and even a torso.
Whether the yearling mountain lion suffered from a teratoma of had a partially assimilated twin, that we cannot say for sure. However, taking into account all the testimonies, back up by the big clinical picture, I believe it is safe to say that the hunted animal may have the signs of developing a benign tumor.
Photo credits:www.wikipedia.org
