Destroying a cougar cub that was found last week in downtown Kamloops was the most humane option available, according to wildlife management staff.

The kitten was killed after wandering into the community.

Conservation officers originally intended to release the cub back into the wild, but upon discovering the animal was only four or five months old, officers decided against it.

“To release this animal back into the wild at that age, it is a certain death for that animal. It would starve to death,”