Mountain Lion Warning Issued In California City
Published Jun 06, 2024 at 4:58 AM EDT
By Theo Burman
Residents of San Jose were urged to stay indoors by police after several sightings of a mountain lion were reported in the city on Wednesday night.
The San Jose Police Department advised citizens to remain in their homes after the big cat was spotted in yards in the southern area of the city by Ella Drive, near to residential areas.
Local police were called to the scenes of the sightings at 9:36 p.m. on Wednesday, but were unable to locate the big cat. The San Jose Police Department have said that they are working closely with animal control to find the lion, according to reports.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday night San Jose Police said: "Units are currently in the area of Ella Dr and War Admiral Way in south San Jose following several reports of a mountain lion sighting.
A Mountain Lion in Northern California. Police confirmed that they are working with animal rescue to find the big cat. JHAVIV/GETTYCallers reported seeing the mountain lion walking into the yards of residential homes. If you live in this area please be aware of your surroundings."
Police also advised residents to call 911 if they saw any further movement from the lion, and urged them to familiarize themselves with material on preventing potential conflicts with mountain lions.
Newsweek contacted the San Jose Police Department for comment.
The most recent census in California estimated that the state's mountain lion population was around 6,000. The species has not yet been listed as endangered, though the population has been on the decline in recent years.
The sightings come after another report of mountain lion activity in Milpitas, to the north of San Jose. Police were unable to confirm that sighting or if this sighting is of the same creature, reports said.
In March, two brothers were attacked by a mountain lion in El Dorado County. One brother was killed and the other left badly injured. There has been one fatal and one non-fatal mountain lion-human attack Data from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests.
There was only one non-fatal verified mountain lion-human attack in California last year, according to the state's Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Deaths due to interactions with mountain lions are extremely rare, with only 29 reported cases in the entirety of North America since 1868, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation.
Official guidance from the National Park Service recommends that you should hold your ground if you see a mountain lion, facing it upright, while backing away slowly. Do not attempt to approach it or run, as these actions could stimulate a lion's predator instincts.
The National Park Service suggests that if a mountain lion does attempt to move closer to you, you should do all you can to be intimidating, such as raising your arms and speaking loudly. |
