Cougar grabs girl camping in Idaho

A family camping in eastern Idaho has scared off a mountain lion that snatched their four-year-old daughter away from a campfire.

Idaho Fish and Game said on Saturday that the cougar dropped the girl and left on Friday evening after family members yelled at the animal.

The child had a few scratches but no other injuries.

The family was camping near Green Canyon Hot Springs east of Rexburg and had spotted the mountain lion in the area earlier that day.

Fish and Game regional conservation educator Gregg Losinski said such sightings and attacks were unusual.

With the help of a local hunter, agency officials tracked the cougar to a tree a few hundred metres from the camp about 2am Saturday.

Losinski said Madison County Sheriff's deputies killed the animal. Other campers in the area were also alerted.