A mountain lion that forced the lockdown of two Sonoma County schools on Monday will be euthanized, wildlife authorities report.
Officials originally planned to release the cat, which was captured earlier this week after being spotted in Rohnert Park, but authorities later deemed that it was not fit to live in the wild due to failing health.
A spokesperson with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said there were no realistic choices to send the big cat. "Rehabilitation standards for Mountain Lions do exist, they are out there, but it’s very tough to find an opportunity for lions," she explained.
The mountain lion, who had actually been under observation by a researcher since March, was found to have a neurological disorder likely since birth that made it difficult for the animal to compete for food.
"This researcher observed that it looked like the mountain lion’s condition had worsened," the spokesperson said. "It's a condition that we can’t treat and the lion is just not likely to survive in the wild."
The cat, affectionately named Wobbly because of its slow tilted walk, had lost 15 pounds since March.
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