Overview
- The young male mountain lion that neighbors spotted under a car in Escondido drew a joint response Monday from California wildlife staff and local police.
- After an initial tranquilizer dart, the cat ran to a nearby apartment complex as a police drone tracked it, and crews secured it shortly after 7 p.m.
- Wildlife staff checked its vitals, added an ear tag, fitted a GPS collar, and released it near the Cleveland National Forest around 11 p.m.
- CDFW identified the animal as M129, about 2 to 3 years old, likely roaming for new territory after leaving its mother.
- The collar is built to drop off after roughly eight months when the battery dies, which lets CDFW monitor M129 without another capture.