A MOUNTAIN LION THAT HAD GAINED NATIONAL NOTORIETY WHEN IT EXPLORED DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ, WAS KILLED THURSDAY MORNING. THE PUMA DIED AFTER IT WAS STRUCK BY TRAFFIC WHILE TRYING TO CROSS HIGHWAY 17. THE PUMA WHICH WAS KNOWN AS 39M WHEN IT WAS FITTED WITH A TRACKING DEVICE BACK IN JULY, IS KNOWN TO HAVE CROSSED THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST. THERE HAVE BEEN A RISE IN PUMA FATALITIES ON THE ROADWAY SINCE A LARGE CULVERT THAT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN USED BY THE BIG CATS TO CROSS UNDER THE ROAD WAS REMOVED FROM UNDER THE LAUREL CURVE AREA. THE PUMA’S BODY WAS TURNED OVER TO RESEARCHERS AT U-C-S-C.
