I wasn't the only one surprised by the outcome described in this article in the Prescott Daily Courier that as of this writing has sparked 174 colorful comments. It tells of a mountain lion spotted in a neighborhood adjacent to the Antelope Hills Golf Course in Prescott, Arizona. The lion hid briefly in some bushes, ran when it was approached, and climbed a tree in an attempt to escape his pursuers. Wildlife officials chased and darted the animal, safely removed him from the tree, and, here's the kicker, wait for it.... killed him.
Inquiring minds want to know why this lion got the death sentence. Often officials cite not being able to safely capture the animal as the reason for taking lethal action. But given that they were able to safely capture it, this isn't the usual scenario. According to the article, they deemed this a "category 1 lion." which, based on the Arizona state mountain lion management protocol, has to be removed from the population. They say this was necessary because the lion did not appear to be afraid of people (emphasis my own), and so was deemed a threat to humans.
There are a number of flaws with this logic, but for now I'll take on the most obvious
