MOAB, Utah (KUTV) — A mountain lion spotted at a Moab business was successfully tranquilized and will be relocated by wildlife officials.

Biologists at the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) responded to reports of the mountain lion on Monday.

Wildlife officials were able to tranquilize the young, healthy male cougar and said they working on relocating it to an area where it wouldn’t affect mule deer herds, impact livestock producers or pose any risk to public safety.

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The Moab mountain lion is the latest in what seems to be an increase in wildlife sightings across Utah this year. Throughout the summer, the DWR responded to numerous reports of bears getting closer to populated areas.

DWR officials said the increase in wildlife sightings could be attributed to several factors including more people having doorbell and security cameras, which capture cougar and bear sightings more frequently.

More people have also been visiting Utah’s canyons, mountains and foothills, which are the natural habitats for many of the state’s wildlife.

Earlier this summer, DWR officials also said weather conditions impacted mountainous vegetation, sending many animals further down into the valleys in the search for food.

Wildlife officials encouraged people to report cougar sightings if it has shown aggressive behavior or has killed something in the neighborhood. Mountain lions should also be reported if it has appeared several times on home security cameras.

“If you capture footage of a cougar on security cameras one time or see one from a distance in foothill areas, you do not need to report it,” DWR said in a media release. “One-time sightings of cougars are typically when the animal is moving through an area, and it has often left by the time DWR biologists and conservation officers can respond.”

Should you encounter a cougar, wildlife officials said you should never run or approach. Instead, stand up tall, make yourself bigger, and maintain eye contact.

“Talk firmly in a loud voice, back away slowly, and leave the area,” DWR said, adding you should fight back, if attacked. “If you are aggressive enough, the cougar will probably flee.”

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