A mountain lion wandering through a San Dimas neighborhood sparked the temporary closure of a street before wildlife officials safely captured and removed the big cat Friday afternoon.
Video footage showed Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies assisting wildlife officials as they carried the tranquilized animal to a brown cage to transport it out of the area.
Curious residents watched as the animal was being loaded into the cage, bringing an eventful morning for the San Gabriel Valley neighborhood to an end.
Cort Klopping, public information officer with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said biologists conducted an assessment but the results were inconclusive, “although biologists observed signs of external injuries,” he said. “The mountain lion is being transported to a veterinarian for more thorough examination.”
Klopping did not say what the external injuries were but reminded the public that vehicles are one of the leading causes of wildlife mortalities in L.A. County.
“Drivers are highly encouraged to report incidents of vehicles striking wildlife in order for the department to provide a more expedient response,” he said.
The incident began after 8 a.m. when the L.A. County Sheriff’s San Dimas Station announced on Instagram that it received reports about a mountain lion roaming along Foothill Boulevard between San Dimas Avenue and San Dimas Canyon Road.
A mountain lion is prepped for transport after being tranquilized in a San Dimas neighborhood on Friday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The department shared photos and images showing the big cat on a sidewalk under the shade of a tree while deputies set up a perimeter.
The department urged residents to stay away from the area while also securing pets and any outdoor food that could attract the puma.
“Runners, pedestrians, and residents are asked to remain vigilant,” the post read.
