Mountain lion sightings increase ahead of dry season

(David McNew / Getty Images)

(CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif.) California officials are warning Northern California residents to be alert for any mountain lions after a string of sightings across the greater Bay Area.

A mountain lion was found stuck in a tree in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood about three weeks ago and just this week residents in the Oakland Hills and Piedmont area reported seeing dead carcasses around their neighborhoods. Just a week after the Bernal Heights cat was reported and taken to the Oakland Zoo, a mountain lion broke into a San Bruno home filled with game trophies.

According to officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, mountain lions often migrate during the dry season while they look for steady food and water supplies. This migration is what some officials point to as the driving factor behind the recent string of sightings.

"Be aware that we do share the state with other wildlife, like mountain lions or bears, they are around. Even though they potentially can be dangerous, they're usually in the city because they're looking for food resources and they're not there to hurt us," said department spokesperson Ken Paglia in Patch.

Paglia also noted another factor is the continuing drought, which drives out much of the deer population and thus leaves the cats looking for other sources of food.

He also reiterated that while sightings can be more common depending on season, an actual attack is very rare. Paglia said that any residents who do see a cat in the neighborhood should call the police rather than attempting to make any personal contact, with the goal being to get the animal back to its natural habitat with as little human interaction as possible.

"We want to make sure the public is safe, but we also want the animal to be able to live out his life in its own habitat. That's probably the best solution," Paglia said.

Helpful tips to avoid mountain lion interactions or make possible interactions safer can be found here.

Additionally, the Bay Area Puma Project keeps a diligent record of mountain lion and big cat sightings.

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