- LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
- Posted On
Mountain lion spotted in city of Lakeport
The Lakeport Police Department reported that it received a report of a mountain lion that was spotted at around 3 p.m. Friday in the in the 900 block of Page Drive
Specifically, the mountain lion was seen in the forested area between Page Drive and 19th Street, and was reported to be traveling west toward Highway 29, police said.
The lion was not acting aggressive but, as a precaution, police decided to make the public aware of the sighting.
Mountain lions are common in Lake County but rarely spotted in the populated area of the city.
However, this is the third time this year a mountain lion has been reported during daylight hours in the city.
In September, a mountain lion was seen running across Lakeshore Boulevard to the field adjacent to Lakeport Elementary School, prompting a lockdown across the entire Lakeport Unified School District campus, as Lake County News has reported.
In June a city employee reported seeing a young adult mountain lion in the Forbes Creek drainage south of the fairgrounds baseball fields and west of the Lakeport Public Works yard.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife offers the following tips for living in and staying safe in mountain lion country.
- Don’t feed deer; it is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.
- Deer-proof your landscaping by avoiding plants that deer like to eat. For tips, request “A Gardener’s Guide to Preventing Deer Damage” from the agency’s offices.
- Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.
- Don’t leave small children or pets outside unattended.
- Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.
- Provide sturdy, covered shelters for sheep, goats and other vulnerable animals.
- Don’t allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active – dawn, dusk and at night.
- Bring pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.
- Do not hike, bike, or jog alone.
- Avoid hiking or jogging when mountain lions are most active – dawn, dusk, and at night.
- Keep a close watch on small children.
- Do not approach a mountain lion.
- If you encounter a mountain lion, do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to look bigger by waving your arms; throw rocks or other objects.
- Pick up small children.
- If attacked, fight back.
- If a mountain lion attacks a person, immediately call 911.
For more information visit https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild/Lion.