Silly Underage Mountain Lion, Don't You Know That Casinos Are Only For Humans?

If I had a nickel for every time a confusing door kept me from going into a casino, I’d have no nickels. But I’d also not be a young mountain lion trying to figure out a revolving door. A young cougar joined the ranks of Animals Trying To Patronize Human Establishments (see: bears going to Sears, candy stores) in Reno recently, when he attempted to walk into Harrah’s casino.

The two-year-old 100-pound lion was spotted at around dawn one morning last week, attempting to walk into the casino, reports the Reno Gazette Journal. His plan foiled by the revolving doors, he hid under an outdoor stage until officials could tranquilize and capture him.

Mountain lions are common enough in Nevada, but in a downtown casino district, not so much. Animal experts say it probably wasn’t a love of gambling that led the cat to the casino, he was probably just trying to find a mate after being pushed out of his home area by other cats or drought.

He was released back into the wild and didn’t seem too pleased with his foray into the land of humans, said a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

“He was fully ready to go,” he said. “He was feisty in the trap and snarled if you got too close. Once he decided to go, he quickly ran off into the underbrush and was gone.”

Maybe he figured out which direction Las Vegas is in.

*Thanks for the tip, John!

Cougar that tried to enter Reno Harrah’s released [Reno Gazette Journal]

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