Mountain lion naps outside US department store

A mountain lion found sleeping in pot plants outside a US shopping centre has been tranquillised.

Shoppers were shocked to see the male cougar stalking the Santa Rosa Plaza shopping mall in California yesterday before it took a nap outside Macy’s department store.

“I didn’t expect to be late to work due to a mountain lion,” local worker Kharman Aidun told The Press Democrat.

Police received a call about 4.20am local time that a 20kg big cat was walking towards the mall.

But it wasn’t until nearly six hours later that California Fish and Wildlife officers were able to sedate the male cougar using four tranquilliser darts.

State wildlife lands program manager Greg Martinelli said officials were able to check the mountain cat, tag it and take its DNA before releasing it into a suitable rural habitat.

Santa Rosa Police Lt. John Snetsinger said the animal was visibly scared.

“Getting it contained was our main goal before Fish and Wildlife arrived because this is not a person, we cannot just go up and put handcuffs on it,” he said.

“The animal was obviously scared, but it is still unpredictable so we could not do anything rash or too fast.”

Officials said the mountain lion, which was young and not a likely threat to public safety, probably walked over from a local creek.