Apr 15, 2008 7:30 am US/Eastern
150-Pound Cougar Shot Dead In Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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A cougar was shot dead in the Roscoe Village neighborhood of Chicago on April 14, 2008.
Residents let out a sigh of relief Monday evening after a wandering cougar was shot and killed in the Roscoe Village neighborhood.
There have been several sightings of a big cat in the past couple days.
As CBS station WBBM-TV in Chicago reported, the cougar population, also known as a mountain lion, is estimated to be about 50,000 strong in America. And though there are no mountains around for miles, that didn't stop this cougar from making its way into the city.
The fully grown cougar shot in an alley weighed about 150 pounds and was five feet long, not including its tail, according to Mark Rosenthal of Animal Care and Control.
The cat leapt a fence and ran into a gangway between two houses. Police were on the other side of the fence, firing shots the entire time.
Add in the tail and you're talking eight or nine feet of wild cat.
Frank Hirschmann saw the cougar and said he received the fright of his life.
"I seen a mountain lion jump a six-foot fence like it was nothing right by my house," he said.
Mountain lions are the fourth heaviest cats in the world. Since 1990 they've been linked to the deaths of 10 people, so police weren't taking any chances when they swarmed the block around 5:30 p.m. Monday.
"The police pulled up and asked us all, pretty heatedly, to get our kids and our animals in the house," said area residentTracy Welsh.
A short while later Welsh and her children saw the cougar dart across the street.
"It was surreal, and we were thrilled to be inside the house and safe," Welsh said.
Animal Control received the first report of a cougar sighting early Monday morning, but their officers armed with tranquilizer guns never saw it. When police finally spotted the animal this evening, the tranquilizers had been replaced with bullets.
"It's a shame to lose such a beautiful animal, but it had to be done," said witness Ed McCarthy.
Authorities say the animal's body will be checked for any markings, chips or tags that would show if it is owned by anyone.
Authorities in suburban Wilmette say they received several calls on Sunday reporting alleged cougar sightings. Police searched, but did not locate the animal.
Experts say they do not believe it was the same cat killed Monday evening.
There are no established cougar populations east of the Mississippi River.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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