If you've wandered into the great outdoors, chances are at one time or another... (Courtesy photo)
The recent attack on goats and sheep by a mountain lion near Lakeside County Park has more than a few people concerned about their safety. A few weeks prior to the attack a lion was spotted by a man who was walking his dog near the dog park at the county park. Lions also have been seen in the State Park. A few years ago a lion was spotted at the Kmart parking lot in Lakeport.
Lake County has always had a healthy population of mountain lions. In fact, the population has been slowly increasing, the reason being mountain lions are completely protected by state law. The actual number of mountain lions in the county is unknown but several wildlife biologists have put the number in the hundreds.
The reason the lions have been venturing into residential areas is because of the deer. The nearby woods and ranches are bone dry with very little vegetation for the deer to eat, so they are migrating down into the homes where there is an abundance of greenery. The lions are following the deer.
Attacks on humans by mountain lions are exceedingly rare. Since 1986 there have been only 14 incidents between lions and humans in the state, three of them fatal.
There has never been a case of a lion attacking a human in Lake County. Since 1977 the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DWF) has issued 128 permits to kill troublesome lions in the county but only 55 have been killed.
There have been a number of human-lion confrontations in Lake County over the years, but no one has been attacked. A number of years ago a lion wandered through an open patio door while entering a house in Kono Tayee. The lion didn't harm anyone but scared the heck out of the residents.
A resident in the Buckingham area shot and killed a lion that was in his backyard a few years ago. Fifteen years ago an elderly woman was sitting on her porch with her small dog on the outskirts of Lakeport when a lion jumped up on the porch, grabbed the dog and disappeared into the woods.
If you have done much hiking in the woods of Lake County chances are that one time or another you have been watched by a mountain lion. A study conducted by a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service involved putting GPS Global Tracking devices on several lions in Southern California. The biologist tracked one lion who would hide in the heavy brush and watch hikers walk by on a popular hiking trail. During the weekends dozens of people passed within a few feet of the lion but no one saw him. The lion stayed in the area for a couple of weeks.
Because these big cats are shy, few people ever have the opportunity to see a mountain lion in the wild. I have been fortunate to see three lions on separate occasions, the most memorable time about 15 years ago when I was deer hunting on Cow Mountain. I came out of the brush into a clearing and there was an adult lion watching me. He was sitting and staring at me and didn't make a move. I approached within 25 yards of the lion and all he did was swing his long tail back and forth. After a few minutes he stood up, stretched and slowly walked away. It made my day to see that magnificent creature up close. Another time I saw a lion walking down the road near Highland Springs Reservoir.
Whereas a lion hasn't yet attacked a human in Lake County it could happen. This is especially true if you're hiking in known lion country at night or early morning. Mountain lions are normally nocturnal and do just about all hunting at night, however they have been known to venture out during daylight hours, especially young lions.
Many lion experts consider the mountain lion to be the strongest, pound for pound, of all the big cats, including African lions. A 150-pound mountain lion can take down a 1,000-pound elk with little trouble. In other words, if a mountain lion wanted to eat you he would have little trouble doing it.
Should all the mountain lions in the county be killed off? Of course not. They are an important part of our ecosystem. They are also a fascinating creature and have lived in Lake County long before we humans were here. Just to think that one of the big cats could be watching you makes chills run up my spine. It also makes life in the county more exciting.
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