PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. —A juvenile mountain lion was caught in a Pacific Grove neighborhood and tranquilized by California Department of Fish and Wildlife wardens.
On Monday morning, residents were surprised when they spotted a cougar climbing up trees and over the rooftops of homes along Acacia Street, Eardley Avenue, and Line Street. The mountain lion chose a large oak tree to lounge in.
Fish and Wildlife Captain Don Kelly said it's typical for a mountain lion to be still and quiet during the day.
"It was roosting in a comfortable spot, very relaxed, not anxious," Kelly said.
Kelly estimated that the female cougar was a little less than two years old.
Some observers were nervous, because a day care with small children inside was nearby.
"When I called 911, the first dispatch operator told me to call a biologist! I kept calling back," resident John Kendrick said.
Pacific Grove police officers were eventually dispatched, and wildlife wardens decided to tranquilize it.
"The mountain lion was unharmed and transported away from the scene for relocation," Acting Police Chief Rory Lakind said.
The cougar was re-released into the wild at an undisclosed mountainous location.
"It was a textbook opportunity," Kelly said. "The cat was in very very good shape."
Last month, the Pacific Grove Police Department issued a mountain lion alert because three deer were killed along Ocean View Boulevard. It was unclear if the cougar caught Monday was the same hunting cougar.
Police said anyone wishing to report mountain lion encounters or sightings in Pacific Grove should call 831-648-3143.
For safety tips and more information about California's native big cats, click here.