Mountain lion spotted near Reno shopping mall

RENO — State wildlife officials say a mountain lion spotted near Reno’s Meadowood Mall on Wednesday night could still be in the area.

Nevada Department of Wildlife spokesman Chris Healy says the cougar was last seen running across busy South Virginia Street to the parking lot of a Super 8 Motel.

He told a Reno newspaper that a department game warden was unable to get close enough so the animal could be captured and relocated.

The mountain lion weighs about 80 pounds and fits the profile of an 18-month-old male that is searching for its own territory after being kicked out of a den by its mother.

In August 2012, a 2-year-old male cougar was caught after trying to slip into Harrah’s in downtown Reno. It was later released back into the wild.