Erik Chalhoub here, with mountain lions on the mind. Although we live among the thousands of these creatures throughout the state, it still seems to be a surprise when we hear there was a sighting.
For me, I was surprised to learn from a recent article by Weekly Editor Sara Rubin that there were 14 sightings of mountain lions over a five-month period on the site of the proposed Harper Canyon housing project near Toro County Park. It makes sense—we live in their habitat.
In recent weeks, a mountain lion was caught on camera near downtown Watsonville, as well as several other neighborhoods in our neighboring Santa Cruz County. (It reminds me of the sightings last year of a mountain lion in downtown Salinas early in the morning and in Pacific Grove within a month of each other).
Add more to the list: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced that a mountain lion was spotted multiple times on the 100 block of Las Lomas Drive, a fairly populated community in North County.
The lion was captured on camera on May 27, while the second sighting was in person by an employee of a water company on June 4, says Sheriff’s Commander Andres Rosas.
The spotting was right across the street from a residential area, Rosas says, prompting the sheriff’s office to release an advisory to the public. Those who live in the area are advised to avoid walking alone, especially at dawn, dusk or night, when lions are most active. Pets and small children should be kept close while outdoors, and do not attempt to approach or feed the wildlife.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, mountain lions prefer to stay away from humans. Attacks are also rare—since 1890, there have been less than 50 verified mountain lion attacks on people, CDFW data shows.
CDFW Public Information Officer Krysten Kellum says such sightings in our area are not out of the ordinary. We live in an area surrounded by mountains and open space, with plenty of deer to snack on, making it prime habitat for these lions.
“Sometimes they will make their way into populated areas,” she says. “They don’t want to be around humans. Sometimes they will be looking for food or water. Nine times out of 10 they will find their way back to their natural habitat.”
Should you encounter a mountain lion, stay calm, maintain eye contact with them, make loud noises and try to look bigger. Never turn your back on them, and don’t run away.
While it may seem like there are more mountain lions as of late, Kellum attributes that to the prevalence of home security cameras and hunting cameras that capture what’s been around us all this time.
You can read more about how to prevent conflicts with mountain lions on CDFW’s website.