This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officer shot and killed a mountain lion roaming around Salt Lake City early Saturday.
DWR Sgt. Ray Loken said Salt Lake City police began receiving reports of cougar sightings in the Glendale area around Indiana Avenue about 4 p.m. Friday. Multiple officers responded to the area but did not see the animal, Loken said.
Another wave of reports came in about 10 p.m., he said, and officers eventually contacted the DWR. After several more hours searching for the mountain lion, Loken met officers at a residence near 1000 S. West Temple.
A detective at the scene reported that the cougar had attempted to catch a house cat as it approached a nearby fence, Loken said, and the mountain lion had retreated into a backyard.
Normally, DWR officers would subdue the animal with a tranquilizer and move it to a safe location, Loken said, but the DWR has a policy not to shoot tranquilizer darts after dark because of the risk it poses. Tranquilizers don't take effect immediately, increasing the possibility of losing the animal, Loken said. Tranquilizers also were not immediately available.
While the animal hadn't shown aggression toward humans, Loken said, it was obviously hungry, which increases the danger for nearby residents.
Loken said he ultimately decided the safest option was to shoot and kill the animal about 4 a.m.
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