Mountain lions are also called cougars, panthers, catamounts, or pumas. They are larger than bobcats and one was one hanging out in our neighborhood until yesterday. We'll call her Carla. We'd heard neighbors say they spotted Carla and then today in the paper we read that Game Warden Desi Ortiz got a call that she was in a courtyard on Camerada Road.
Now, Carla ran away after the officer shot a tranquilizer dart but soon she was seen staggering into another courtyard about three houses from the initial contact. After a couple more tranquilizers and an absolute verification that Carla was snoozing, residents lent Mr. Ortiz a sheet to help place her in a bear cage on the Game and Fish truck.
After being examined by a wildlife veterinarian, Carla was taken to the Jemez Mountains and released. "I wanted to get her as far away from people as I could," Mr. Ortiz said. "She'll find a mate and she'll do fine." Carla is around three years old and healthy, and we wish her the best.
NB: In a sad postscript, it was determined the next day that Carla was far too comfortable around humans, and could become a danger, and so she was euthanized. I don't understand this.
