Rockville sheep killed by unidentified large animal; officials warn to keep children, pets safe

The town of Rockville, date and location not specified | Photo courtesy of the town of Rockville, St. George News

ROCKVILLE — Rockville and Springdale officials are warning residents to watch out for their children and pets after two sheep were killed last week by a large animal suspected to be a mountain lion.

A Rockville resident reported two separate incidents in which a large animal killed the sheep at their home on Main Street, Springdale Police Sgt. Jason Shafer said.

The exact dates of the incidents are unknown. The most recent attack happened over the weekend and the first one a week or two before that, he said.

The Utah Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Springdale Police Department are investigating the incident. Tracks around the area have led authorities to believe that the animal is a mountain lion.

“Nobody’s seen the animal, so we’re not positive what it is. … They believe it’s possibly a mountain lion, but there are no confirmed reports,” Shafer said.

Authorities are continuing to watch the area. A notice has been sent to Rockville and Springdale residents warning about the incident and asking for information.

“Right now we’re just keeping an eye out. A notice has been put out to the town asking everybody to keep an eye out, to watch for animals, and if we see it in the area then we’ll deal with it, but we haven’t seen anything yet,” Shafer said.

In the notice, residents are advised to keep animals and children safe during evening hours, which is when the attacks occurred.

Just keep an eye on animals and children in case somebody sees it,” Shafer said.

In case of an animal sighting or another incident, residents are asked to contact the Springdale Police Department dispatch at 435-634-5730.

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Twitter: @STGnews | @MikaylaShoup

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