SANTA CRUZ – The presence of a mountain lion closed down a huge section of Live Oak early Thursday after a witness spotted the young male in the East Cliff Village Shopping Center.
Emergency officials promptly sealed off a huge swath for the popular center and heavily traveled East Cliff Drive, between 7th and 17th avenues, for safety reasons, said Santa Cruz County Sheriff spokesman Chris Clark.
Clark said a witness spotted the wild animal walking through the shopping center around 7:30 a.m. and reported it to the 9-1-1 center.
A large body of Sheriff’s deputies were joined by the California Highway Patrol and members of the California Fish and Wildlife in securing the area and dealing with traffic control.
Clark said the Sheriff’s Office was chiefly concerned about public safety and the safety and health of the animal.
“Of course, we want to maintain public safety and make sure this wild animal is properly dealt with,” Clark said. “We will make sure it is returned safely to a natural setting.”
Clark added that the lion was a “teenager” and weighed about 80 pounds.
