Mountain lion seen roaming San Francisco killed on Highway 1 - KRON4

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A young mountain lion that was captured last month after roaming the streets of San Francisco and then released into a wilderness preserve was found dead Friday on the shoulder of a highway in Northern California, authorities said.

The mountain lion was found on the shoulder of Highway 1 near Pacifica, said Mark Andrews, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

On Friday, fish and wildlife authorities verified the cougar’s identity by its ear tag, said Ken Paglia, a spokesman for the fish and wildlife department.

The young male mountain lion was 12-18 months old and weighed about 70 pounds, Paglia said.

As many as 100 mountain lions are struck and killed by vehicles in California every year, Paglia said.