Morro Bay police receive reports of mountain lion sightings

Jul 16, 2014  by Charlie Misra

 

Three mountain lions have been spotted roaming around Morro Bay in just the last week and a half.

The latest sighting was Monday in the hills near the edge of town, but it was gone when police arrived.

Fish and Wildlife officials say the sightings are not related to the drought.

They say they haven't seen an increase in mountain lion sightings in urban areas.

But still, they say it's not uncommon to see them in San Luis Obispo County this time of year.

"The big cat was sitting about 12 feet behind the fence right there," said Morro Bay resident Bill Burke.

Last Monday morning, Burke was up early at his home, getting ready for his son's birthday.

"I was a little surprised because I just woke up," said Burke. "There it was! And we looked right in each other's eyes. Eye to eye contact. It was instant. It was gone. Out of here. I scared him probably as much as he spooked me."

Burke remembers the animal's imposing size.

He says it took just three to four leaps for it to reach the other side of the hill.

"When it left, the tail on it was at least five feet long," said Burke. "It was a huge puma, you know, tail."

This wasn't the first time he's seen one of the big cats near his property on Nutmeg Avenue.

He shot video back in 2003 when a mountain lion showed up in the hills above his house.

Burke says they don't come often, but the last cat he saw was the fifth he's had visit in the last 13 years.

"I think we gotta live with 'em," said Burke. "You know, it's like surfing with Great White sharks, you know. Lions on this side and Great Whites on that side. Haha."

Here a couple of tips if you see a mountain lion:

Make yourself appear as large as possible. Raise your arms and wave your raised arms slowly.
Make a lot of noise. Make any loud sound that can't be confused for a mountain lion's prey.

Act like a predator yourself by maintaining eye contact.

Slowly create distance between the mountain lion and yourself. Back slowly away to a spot that gives the mountain lion a path to get away, without turning away from the animal.

Protect yourself. If you're attacked, fight back. Protect your neck and throat area especially.


Fish and Wildlife game warden Todd Tognazzini says he's never seen a report of a person being attacked by a mountain lion in his 30 years working in both Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties

But people should still take proper precautions.

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