State officials say a mountain lion has been struck and killed by a vehicle south of Scottsbluff, making it the second recent death of one of the animals in the Nebraska Panhandle.

The mountain lion, also known as a cougar, was struck Monday night near the Wildcat Hills Nature Center.

Nebraska Game and Parks staffers have documented mountain lions in the Wildcat Hills, but there isn't believed to be a resident population. Up to 20 mountain lions live farther north in the Pine Ridge area.

Although native to Nebraska, most mountain lions were killed by the early 1900s. They weren't confirmed again in the state until 1991.

On Aug. 18, a mountain lion was euthanized after being found in a tree in Kimball.