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By Miriam Raftery
May 22, 2024 (San Diego’s East County)—Mountain lions are typically nocturnal and may travel many miles each night. While rural residents are accustomed to the occasional cougar sighting, discovering that a mountain lion is their neighbor has startled residents in suburban La Mesa and Rancho San Diego over the past week.
On May 14, a video clearly documents a mountain lion in the backyard of a La Mesa home close to Lemon Avenue School near Jackson Drive, just west of State Route 125.
Another video taken on May 15 (screenshot, left) shows a mountain lion (also known as a puma or cougar) strolling along a swimming pool on Brabham Street in Rancho San Diego, not far from the library, ballfields and Cuyamaca College.
It's unclear whether the videos show the same lion, or two different ones. Though uncommon, mountain lion sightings have been documented in recent years in nearby communities, including Mt. Helix, Spring Valley, and Lemon Grove.
Mountain lion attacks on humans are relatively rare. Since 1994, four fatal attacks have been confirmed in California, with another 21 nonfatal injury attacks confirmed statewide, according to California Fish & Wildlife.
Mountain lions can pose a threat to pets and livestock such as chickens and goats, however. So it’s best to keep pets inside overnight and to house livestock in a covered coop or pen after dark. Don't allow small children to be outside unsupervised, particularly after dark.
If you do see a lion, don’t panic. Slowly back away. If a lion advances, raise your arms to look larger, shout, or toss items to frighten the animal into running away.
It is illegal to shoot or kill a mountain lion in California, unless a person first obtains a predation permit (as when a lion has been killing livestock regularly), or unless a life is in immediate danger, such as during an actual attack.
Often, a lone mountain lion may be a young male seeking new territory. Deer are the prime prey for mountain lions locally, but deer are typically not seen in urban or suburban areas. So if left alone, the roving lion may simply move on to better habitat.
If you’re curious to learn what wildlife is strolling through your property after dark, consider installing trail cameras or checking your Ring doorbell or external security camera footage. You may be surprised to discover coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, or even a mountain lion stopping by for a visit.
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