Watch CBS News

Mountain Lion Killed In Conn. Car Crash 65 Miles From Mass. Border

MILFORD, CONN. (CBS/AP) – Connecticut State Police are investigating a car crash involving a mountain lion.

That's right, a mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in the town of Milford, CT, about 65 miles from the Massachusetts border.

The Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement that the 140-pound animal died after being hit by an SUV at about 1 a.m. Saturday.

Mountain Lions can travel about 25 miles a day. There had been several recent sightings of a large cat believed to be a mountain lion in Greenwich, Connecticut, about 30 miles away from Milford.

Mountain lions are not native to Connecticut and the eastern mountain lion has been declared extinct by the U.S. wildlife officials.

DEP officials have speculated that the animal escaped from a handler or was released.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.