The Santa Barbara Police Department has issued a warning regarding multiple mountain lion sightings in Oak Park and Mission Creek in Santa Barbara.
On February 2, 2026, Santa Barbara Animal Control stated it was notified of multiple sightings over the weekend of a mountain lion in the Oak Park and Mission Creek areas.
An edhat reader reported a sighting on Friday, January 30, around 7:00 a.m. off Romaine Drive in the Samarkand neighborhood. A resident in the area was able to capture video footage of a mountain lion roaming through a residential driveway.
The Samarkand neighborhood borders Oak Park and Mission Creek, where other sightings have been reported throughout social media.
Santa Barbara Animal Control stated the sightings occurred during both daytime and nighttime hours. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was also notified and will coordinate with local wildlife resources.
Residents in the area are advised to keep pets indoors and avoid hiking alone at dawn or dusk, and to remain vigilant in the Oak Park and Mission Creek areas.
Santa Barbara Animal Control states if you see a mountain lion, do not approach it. If you believe there is a significant threat to public safety, please call “911” to report the sighting to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
For late sightings of mountain lions, please contact Santa Barbara City Animal Control via the Santa Barbara Police Department Dispatch non-emergency line at (805) 882-8900 or email City Animal Control directly at animalcontrol@sbpd.com.
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Sure hope any and all Mountain lions will find their way back to safety.
Mountain lions have huge ranges and don’t stay in an area for long. Relax, it it likely in the back country by now.
ZIPS – you’ve already proven you know nothing about mountain lions or our local ecosystem. People can relax when actual experts tell them to.
But hey, this article is a hint for the question I asked yesterday that you’ve run away from. Care to give it a shot?
What question did you ask?
SAIL – I didn’t ask you. You already proved yourself clueless about local topography and geography.
OK, let’s see if you can figure this out: Again, “What unique natural feature connects the Samarkand area with the more “urban” areas just less than 2 miles away?”
EDIT: I meant “rural” not “urban.” My bad, whatever. Same question, same point for those who are somehow confused how a city built literally into the foothills has mountain lions….
Must be a different clueless sail your thinking about. Did you ever answer what local development in the last 25 years was causing mountain lion habitat destruction? The mysterious unique natural features you mention are not that hard to figure out. We hunt the natural drainages for the same reason predators use them.
No, SAIL, it’s you. You’re the one who is absolutely lost here.
“Did you ever answer what local development in the last 25 years was causing mountain lion habitat destruction?” – I did. Multiple times. Go ahead and read for yourself, if you can…
https://www.edhat.com/news/mountain-lion-caught-on-camera-in-santa-barbaras-samarkand-neighborhood/#comment-214259
And like I said, the question about the creek was for ZIPS. Maybe stick to answer those questions that are posed to YOU, not others.
> Must be a different clueless sail your thinking about.
Well at least you acknowledge that you’re one of them.
Have you owned property that mountain lions routinely roamed on? I have, for over a decade. I must have missed the question, since my comments are routinely not posted. If you’ll repeat the question I’ll try not to run away.
Your comments are usually delayed or deleted because they are disinformation, slander, or not congruent with other terms of service.
ZIPS – see my response to SAIL or go look it up yourself.
If you’ve “owned” property that mountain lions have “roamed on” “for over a decade,” then how on effing earth is this whole concept so confusing to you?
You seriously don’t understand what developments have encroached on their habitat?
> I’ll try not to run away.
Fighting those urges is so hard!
The way my dog has been acting, I’d bet that it has expanded its range into the Lower Riviera/Eastside area.