Mountain Lion Spotted Early Saturday Wandering Through Petaluma Neighborhood
PETALUMA (CBS SF) -- A mountain lion was sighted early Saturday in a Petaluma neighborhood -- the second time this week a big cat has been spotted prowling within the city.
According to the Petaluma Police Department, the mountain lion was last seen in the areas of North McDowell Boulevard and Round Walk Circle and North McDowell Boulevard and Southpoint Boulevard.
Police were advising people in the area to stay inside and call the police department if they see the mountain lion.
It was not immediately known if its the same big cat spotted earlier this week.
On Wednesday, wildlife agencies along with Petaluma police were on alert after a mountain lion was spotted several times. One homeowner, not far from downtown Petaluma, managed to catch the animal on his home security cameras. Even he can't believe the video.
"Yeah, it was amazing," Joe Luchok says of the Wednesday morning encounter. "My wife saw it initially, out in the street, from the window, and thought it was a giant dog. Called 911 instantly."
Seeing the big cat in the street was the first surprise. Then Luchock checked his home security camera, and there it was, strolling through his backyard.
"It looked like he was going to go out the gate, but the gate was shut," Joe Luchok says. "So he came walking this way down the side of the house and climbed over the fence."
"It's both beautiful and scary, right," says Ken Paglia of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. "They are amazing creatures, they are beautiful. At the same time, we know innately that a mountain lion is a dangerous creature."
Fish and Wildlife is working with local law enforcement in case the animal resurfaces. Paglia says sightings this close to open space are not uncommon, especially in the summer months.
"It's just that time of year," he says. "It's the time of year when young, male mountain lions get pushed out by their mothers and they have to find new territory."
If you encounter a mountain lion, wildlife experts say not to turn and run but to face the animal, make noise and try to appear as large as possible.
