Puma Removed From Pleasanton Office Park After Being Shot With 4 Tranquilizers
PLEASANTON (CBS SF) -- Police and animal control officers had to administer four tranquilizer darts to knock out a mountain lion that wandered into a business park in Pleasanton Monday afternoon.
The lion, later identified by authorities as a puma, was first spotted by a landscaper.
The lion was "hunkered down" in the bushes in a parking lot on the 3800 block of Hopyard Road in Pleasanton. The busy location is across the street from a residential neighborhood and close to Hart Middle and Donlon Elementary schools.
Current situation at 3825 Hopyard Rd, where a mountain lion is hunkered down. PPD and @CaliforniaDFW are on scene. Updates to follow. @PleasantonCA pic.twitter.com/9Krn8H1916
— Pleasanton PD (@pleasantonpd) October 30, 2018
Pleasanton Police and officers from the state Department of Fish & Wildlife were on hand. The full-grown mountain lion was hiding in the bushes while authorities prepared to tranquilize it.
An animal control officer shot the mountain lion with a tranquilizing dart about 6:46 p.m. A police spokesman said officers were standing by waiting for the drug to take effect and keeping people away in case the lion made a break for it.
UPDATE: #Pleasanton #mountainlion shot with tranquilizer gun, officers now waiting it out https://t.co/WUdjodm7mr pic.twitter.com/tfCv2BO69O
— KPIX 5 (@KPIXtv) October 30, 2018
Curious onlookers were told to get in their cars in case the puma tried to take off before the tranquilizer started taking affect.
Officers were standing by with less lethal bean bag shotgun in case the mountain lion became active.
Shortly after the initial tranquilizer shot, Pleasanton police tweeted that another one was needed.
Second tranquilizer dose was deemed necessary. #PleasantonPuma pic.twitter.com/ClPmYlDkPT
— Pleasanton PD (@pleasantonpd) October 30, 2018
About 30 minutes later, a third tranquilizer was given to the big cat.
Mountain lion is still moving, 3rd tranquilizer administered. #PleasantonPuma https://t.co/GM3VVL1vLd
— Pleasanton PD (@pleasantonpd) October 30, 2018
The Alameda County Sheriff's Department was assisting with a UAV camera attached to a drone as authorities continued monitoring the mountain lion.
#ACSOUAV over #PleasantonPuma. The UAV camera allows us to see the thermal image of the mountain lion and provide real time awareness to wild life experts so we can safely remove the animal. @pleasantonpd pic.twitter.com/hMjlBcQ9pX
— Alameda County Sheriff (@ACSOSheriffs) October 30, 2018
In the end, it took four tranquilizers to render the mountain lion unconscious.
After 4 doses of tranquilizer, the sleeping #PleasantonPuma has been safely removed from the bushes. pic.twitter.com/JsAtbhiwxs
— Pleasanton PD (@pleasantonpd) October 30, 2018
Authorities said the puma was a healthy young male approximately 9-12 months old.
The #PleasantonPuma is an approx 9-12 month old male, and appears healthy which means he can be rereleased. Wonder if he knows it's #NationalCatDay? pic.twitter.com/PLO4FbxnWN
— Pleasanton PD (@pleasantonpd) October 30, 2018
Hopyard Road, a major north-south roadway crossing Pleasanton was closed in both directions for hours because of the mountain lion, police said.
Once Department of Fish and Wildlife officials determine the puma is healthy, they will return it to a natural habitat, likely somewhere in Stanislaus County.