Llama on the loose wears out authorities, then gets shot and killed

After a week of roaming northern Mower County fields and roads, a nearly 200-pound llama was shot and killed by authorities on Monday after attempts to capture it failed.

Mower County Sheriff's Department officials chose to kill the llama near Waltham because of it being a threat to motorists. That came after officials tried for more than three hours on Monday afternoon to tranquilize and lasso the animal, Chief Deputy Mark May said.



Deputies also had tried unsuccessfully to capture the llama for about two hours Saturday, including using stun guns and a firearm. Seeing the llama on Monday, May said, it didn't appear that the animal had been hit by a deputy's bullet from the effort on Saturday. News reports said the animal was pregnant.

Deputies had been receiving reports of the llama eating people's crops, flowers and gardens for the past week.