A rancher riding through mountain lion country in New Mexico made a grizzly discovery when he happened upon three horse legs hanging from three separate trees less than a half mile from his corrals and cabin.
Mountain lions are known to prey on horses, especially younger or weaker individuals. In a study published by The Journal of Wildlife Management titled Prey Specialization by Cougars on Feral Horses in a Desert Environment, it was found that 60% of mountain lion diets in the Great Basin region consisted of feral horses. In Modoc County California, a mountain lion called M166 gained national notoriety back in 2018 after killing more than 30 horses over a period of about 16 months.
No conclusive evidence that a mountain lion is responsible for these horse legs hanging from trees in New Mexico as its not typical behavior unlike leopards but they have been documented instances where mountain lions may cache their kills in trees.
