Large mountain lion needed 3 tranquilizer darts before capture

State fish and wildlife officials needed at least three tranquilizer darts to sedate a 120-pound mountain lion that roamed through a La Crescenta neighborhood Thursday afternoon.

Officers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife were called in after the lion was spotted just before 2 p.m. and didn’t appear to be disturbing anything at the home in the 4500 block of New York Avenue, according to Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz.

From there, the lion roamed the area and was seen in the 3300 and 3400 blocks of Thelma Street.

It was finally tranquilized underneath a “tight spot” of a patio deck in the 4500 block of New York Avenue, Lorenz said.

State Fish and Wildlife officials told KTLA they believe the animal is a full-grown male, weighing about 120 pounds.

They planned to give the animal a quick health check-up and tag him, before releasing him back into the mountains.

Wildlife officials said this was the first mountain lion sighting in a populated area of Southern California this year, and they expect more as summer approaches.

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veronica.rocha@latimes.com