Anonymous
(stock image)
Source: Santa Barbara Police Department
This morning between 4:30 and 5:00 A.M, a large adult mountain lion was sighted in the area of 700 Laguna Street – sightings are rare and due to proximity to the animal’s natural habitat.
Your chances of encountering a mountain lion are small.
The Santa Barbara Police Department and State Fish and Game officials physically sighted the animal during a sweep of the area. It was identified by State experts as a large, possibly male, adult mountain lion.
After an exhaustive search by local authorities, the animal was last seen in the 800 block of Laguna Street, it disappeared into the neighborhood.
If at any time you spot a mountain lion in the City, report the sighting or encounter to 911.
According to the US Forest Service, most mountain lions will try to avoid confrontation, so give them a way to escape.
Do not run from a lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to chase.
Lastly, the Forest Service suggests you do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you are wearing one. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice.
Would you forgive yourself if your neighbor’s toddler was attacked and killed first, and subsequently the mountain lion was then killed?
From my experience, I’d say the mountain lion is definitely sick. I would not hesitate for one moment to take this or any other animal out if were attacking or about to attack a human being. Not one second………………. “Boom, Boom. Out Go the Lights” – Little Walter Jacobs
If there’s a toddler unsupervised, well . . .
Maybe the juvenile mountain lion that came through awhile back is related.
Actually, the mountain lion would most likely be darted with a tranquilizer and removed to a remote area. Not reporting it is not doing the animal or the neighborhood any good.
Call 911 for seeing a lion in the city? Seems alarmist. Do they become aggressive inside the city limits? Out here in the countryside we pretty much just marvel at the big cats. No wonder that city folk don’t see them very often.
You’re asking for trouble if you leave pets outside unsupervised and small children shouldn’t be left outside on their own, either.
“From my experience” meaning you know *so much* about Felis concolor. Healthy juvenile Mountain lions range across a wide area in search of territory to call their own. I hope everyone understands that the photo shown is not of THE Mountain lion spotted on Laguna St.
If one cannot deal with the occasional wildlife intrusion into our backyards, that person might do better to relocate him/herself to a less treed and bucolic area.
Sometimes the comments on here blow my mind. It’s this back and forth banter and bickering about right and wrong “opinions”.
There are protocols in place for a reason.
Follow protocols and the best likely outcome occurs.
And yes… parenting and pet owning have protocols as well- one being don’t ever leave young children or pets alone unsupervised outside.
Stop the bickering and use your energy to do something positive and productive instead please?
When thinking of mountain lion , keep in mind that each of our glimpses and momentary sightings is likely matched by cat’s hours of observing humans.
For the good of the mountain lion, it needs to be removed to the back country. So yes report any sightings immediately so it can be tracked and returned to the wild.
Don’t call authorities if and when you spot a Mountain lion or Bear Bobcat or Coyote. Or even a Skunk or Raccoon or Opossum. The chances of larger (read: predatory) animals being tranquilized and relocated rather than being shot are nearly miniscule. When smaller wild animals are trapped, they are gassed. This isn’t speculation; I know this from speaking with Fish & Game, Animal Control and wildlife rehabbers. It’s all about man hours and cost. It’s more cost effective (and generally done in the name of “public safety”) to kill instead of relocate.
MESA while I appreciate your point I would suggest that one never gets in the way of a good outrage. It’s a bit like a domestic dispute… the most dangerous call for a cop… the voice of reason can easily become a target to the litigants.
City mountain lions are quick to anger. Country mountain lions are pretty laid back.
I live not too far from Laguna St. If I saw a Mt. lion the only people I would tell would be my family. If reported to authorities, there’s a good chance the animal would be shot. There is no way I want to be responsible for Fish & Game or any other shooters killing a Mt. lion. I would never ever forgive myself.
Like the bear with bad teeth at Rincon…
Shoot it. That’s how it was done back in the 1800’s. I am a firm believer of the Code of the Old West. “Let’s ride boys and git that cat!”
Maybe it’ll eat the 2 jerk faces I know who live near there and do the world a favor.
Maybe the mountain lion just might eat some of the unruly bad behavior of those who are homeless. The druggies, heavy drinkers, the stealers, committing violence on our community. “So boys, whata ya think? This cat just might clean up our town on dead beat varmints. Let’s ride back to town boys!”
Poetic Justice .. A suspected rhino poacher has been killed after being trampled to death by an elephant, and his lifeless body eaten by lions, according to officials with South African National Parks
READ MORE: https://neonnettle.com/news/7059-suspected-rhino-poacher-killed-by-an-elephant-then-eaten-by-lions-report
© Neon Nettle
I think he just might like eating a hunter like one from the 1800’s..
Ride off like in the “Old West” and shoot the cat? That’s one reason there aren’t many mountain lions these days. And Bison, the “Old West” mind set of shooting anything that moves is the reason for the herds totaling millions of the animals was almost made extinct because of the kill, kill, kill attitude. So much fun to shoot and kill for the fun of it!
Oh, dear God, I hope they leave it ALONE. It will move on. When the authorities are called 90% of the time the animal is killed. WHY? There is no good reason to kill it. Please learn a little more about mountain lions, the Mountain Lion Foundation has wonderful info, just google it. They ARE in our back yard and they usually don’t come this close. Just LEAVE IT ALONE, please! Coexist. Be kind to wildlife. Keep your small pets and kids inside, (or supervised) especially at night, it’s not rocket science.
Mountain lions are elusive and shy, we shouldn’t be sparking fear here. They are here all the time, we just don’t see them. Please leave it be.
I hope you were joking with the post about wild west killings. The KILL ALL WILDLIFE mentality is so wrong and bad. And please DO NOT call the authorities, they will only shoot it. Let it be and it will move on, it probably already has.
This gorgeous big cat stands no chance if it decides to stay within the city limits. My neighbor suggested that someone may have already taken the cat out as a “trophy”, but there is absolutely no evidence that this is the case. However, if true, that would just sicken me to no end that someone decided to kill this beautiful creature so they can stuff it or hang the skin on a wall. When will we stop killing our native wildlife….when there is none left? Leave the animals alone…WE took over THEIR territory!
Anyone who has been to Western Europe knows that they have killed their big predators long ago, so that the only predator allowed to live in the most developed countries are foxes. Is this really the kind of country that we want to live in? I would hope that we could figure out some way to co-exist with bears, wolves, mountain lions, and the like. Is it really that hard to leave some wild spaces for them?
Well, no one has taken it as a “trophy” because mountain lion hunting (for trophies) is outlawed in California, thank God. But it isn’t safe in the hands of Fish & Wildlife either, 90% of them are euthanized rather than transported and released. I’m guessing it’s a cost thing, but whatever the reason, it’s horrible. They should NOT kill the lions ever.