Early yesterday morning, a young mountain lion was shot and killed
outside the Emeritus College building on Second Street in downtown Santa Monica. There’s now a memorial at the spot where the cub died.

The following statement reflects the sentiments of many residents — including ours.

I am very troubled about the killing of the young mountain lion on 2nd St. in Santa Monica yesterday. I can’t understand why non-lethal methods of capture were not used and instead this beautiful wild creature was destroyed.
I know officials will say it was for the “public safety.” But, it was cornered in an office courtyard that could have been cordoned off and the animal could have been netted and shot a second time with tranquilizers.

Instead, it was agitated by “pepper balls” and a fire hose and then “had to be destroyed” because it was “trying to escape.” I’d try to escape, too, if a fire hose was being used on me! This approach is just barbaric and so 19th century! Makes me think someone just wanted a trophy.

We have technology to do everything else, but why couldn’t officials capture a frightened young mountain lion?

According to the website urbancarnivores.com, there are 22 mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains. The National Park Service captures them, tags them, releases them and then tracks them for biological studies.

The last one was captured in Griffith Park, another urban setting. If the Park Service can do this on a regular basis, why couldn’t the Department of Fish and Game do it yesterday?

Linda Piera-Avila