Fish and Game Dept. Defends Killing of Mountain Lion

The reason that a female mountain lion wandered into a Valencia residential neighborhood last week remains a mystery.

The animal was killed by state Fish and Game wardens on Feb. 25 after they were informed that she had been seen in a resident’s backyard patio.

Officials with the agency had hoped that a necropsy--the nonhuman equivalent of an autopsy--might yield clues to why the animal traveled there. It was suggested that hunger had led her to the neighborhood or that she was confused due to illness.

But a biologist found no evidence of disease in the cougar’s body, and hunger was ruled out when the half-digested bodies of two small animals were found in her stomach, said Patrick Moore, spokesman for the Fish and Game Department.

The biologist said that one of the animals appeared to be a dog, Moore said.

One of the reasons wardens decided to shoot the lion instead of tranquilizing her with drugged darts was due to the animal’s apparent lack of fear of humans, Fish and Game officials said last week.

“We don’t know why it acted like it did,” Moore said. “It was a healthy young female mountain lion and sometimes they just lose their fear of humans. It happens occasionally and when it does, it really concerns us.”

Fish and Game officials said they received complaints from people who were outraged by the cougar’s killing and questioned why wardens didn’t at least attempt to tranquilize the animal.

“What happens if the cat bolts and runs and somebody gets injured?” Moore responded.

A veterinarian from the Los Angeles Zoo arrived on the scene shortly after the animal was killed and accused wardens of being “trigger happy.”

Moore protested that the public doesn’t understand how hard Fish and Game wardens work to save animals’ lives. But he added that their main responsibility is to protect human life.

“People called and asked why didn’t we dart or use a net to capture the animal,” Moore said. “They see these television shows and see animals being captured. What isn’t shown on these programs are all the failed attempts.”