Early Friday morning, as the sun was peeking over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a young mountain lion was turned away from Harrah’s Reno casino, raising questions about how wildlife ends up in urban areas and what it means for local ecosystems. Guests must be 21 years old to gamble, and the cougar was only about two years old, according to an old friend and Nevada Department of Wildlife spokesman Chris Healy.
Actually, the lion had trouble negotiating the revolving door at Harrah’s casino on Virginia Street plaza and wandered over to an outdoor stage where it crawled underneath for safety. Police and emergency workers cordoned off the area and waited for officers from the Department of Wildlife to arrive. When they did, the animal was tranquilized by trained professionals before being taken away to be checked for injuries. Afterward, the animal was fitted with a GPS necklace.
Early Saturday morning, the young lion was driven to Spooner Summit at Lake Tahoe and released a few miles from Highway 50, where it will have plenty of wild game to chase and more water available. Wildlife officials ensured the animal’s safe return to its natural habitat, emphasizing their commitment to animal welfare.
If I’m not mistaken, this is a rare occurrence-the first lion in a Reno casino since the MGM had its signature lion downstairs available for photo shoots. Such incidents are uncommon and noteworthy for the region. But it wasn’t that long ago that Reno was the Wild West, with ranchers, cowboys, and old-style saloons – most with some old-style gambling.
Thanks for reading – Al W Moe