Mountain Lion Captured At Santa Cruz Shopping Center
SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) -- An 80-pound mountain lion, who climbed up a tree outside a Santa Cruz shopping center, was tranquilized and captured Thursday morning, authorities said.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said they began receiving calls around 8 a.m. reporting a possible mountain lion sighting in the neighborhood near the East Cliff Village Shopping Center located at East Cliff Dr. and 17th Ave.
Arriving officers discovered the lion perched up a tree. Local residents were asked to shelter-in-place and several nearby schools were also placed on lockdown including Del Mar Elementary and Shoreline Middle School.
Fish and Wildlife officials arrived to help in capturing the animal which was tranquilized and removed from the tree.
According to Paul Houghtaling of The Puma Project, the animal was tagged and fitted with a GPS collar for tracking once it was released back to the wild.
Authorities said no one was injured