CDFW warns people to not feed wildlife after mountain lion visited Santa Cruz neighborhood

A young female mountain lion was safely captured by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife after it was spotted in a Santa Cruz backyard this weekend.

The lion was tranquilized and captured Saturday night on Escalona Court just north of Highway 1. The CDFW safely returned her to a suitable habitat.

CDFW officials believe the lion was in the area due to the large amount of deer in the Santa Cruz neighborhood. They went on to say there’s evidence the deer are being fed by local residents. The agency is now reminding people to not feed wildlife as it is illegal and dangerous. It can bring predators into urban areas, and according to a recent study by the CDFW, the majority of mountain lions are eating pets.

Click here for more information from the CDFW on mountain lions.