The California Department of Fish and Game has captured a Cougar (or Mountain Lion, or Puma), Puma concolor, in a residential area of Santa Cruz, California. The Animal was first sighted on Thursday 17 December 2020, with numerous subsequent sightings, and appeared to be emaciated and unwell. The Cougar was eventually captured at about 5.00 pm on 31 December. It is thought that the Cougar may have been poisoned, possibly as a result of consuming Rodents that had consumed poison. The Animal will be relocated to a site outside of the city once it has recovered its health.
The California Department of Fish and Game capturing a Cougar in a residential area of Santa Cruz, California, on 31 December 2021. Kion 5/46.
Cougars were formerly found throughout the Americas, with the exception
of northern Canada and Alaska, however they are now largely restricted
to the western parts of North America, where Human populations are lower
and more of their original habitat remains. There are thought to be about 3100 Cougars remaining in the State of Califoria, down from about 4-6000 in 1972. The species is protected in the state, where it is illegal to kill one without a special permit, but is thought to be threatened by habitat fragmentation, with the Cougar's habitat bisected by numerous roads and other Human developments, and concerns raised in 2020 about inbreeding within the population.
The Santa Cruz Cougar before its capture. Santa Cruz Police.
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