How to resolve AdBlock issue? School administration forwarded to the Lakeport Police Department a report from a citizen who said they saw a mountain lion in the brushy area along the northern boundary of the Lakeport Unified campuses, authorities said Wednesday.
The schools currently are closed for Christmas vacation, officials said.
The person who saw the lion didn’t report it to the school until two days after the sighting. The Lakeport Police Department said that it notified patrol officers to be on the lookout and also contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for assistance in investigating the sighting.
Police said the area of the sighting was thoroughly checked for signs of mountain lion activity; no evidence was found of one actually living in the area.
However the area has significant wildlife, including deer, which are a primary food source for mountain lions, police said.
This latest mountain lion sighting was the fourth reported within the city of Lakeport this year and the second unconfirmed sighting that occurred close to the school campuses, as Lake County News has reported.
The first sighting near the schools took place in September and was reported by a parent. Police and Fish and Wildlife officers were unable to locate an animal, but schools nonetheless went into temporary lockdown over concerns of student safety.
The other two mountain lion sightings occurred in June and October.
In June, a city worker said he saw what was believed to be a young adult mountain lion in the Forbes Creek drainage south of the fairgrounds baseball fields and west of the Lakeport Public Works yard.
Then, in October, a mountain lion was seen in the forested area between Page Drive and 19th Street, traveling west toward Highway 29. Officials said it was not acting aggressive.
Police said it is unknown if this is the same lion related to all sightings.
Below is a list offered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for living in and staying safe in mountain lion country, which includes Lake County:
- Don’t feed deer; it is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.
- Deer-proof your landscaping by avoiding plants that deer like to eat. For tips, request “A Gardener’s Guide to Preventing Deer Damage” from the agency’s offices.
- Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.
- Don’t leave small children or pets outside unattended.
- Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.
- Provide sturdy, covered shelters for sheep, goats and other vulnerable animals.
- Don’t allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active – dawn, dusk and at night.
- Bring pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.
- Do not hike, bike, or jog alone.
- Avoid hiking or jogging when mountain lions are most active – dawn, dusk, and at night.
- Keep a close watch on small children.
- Do not approach a mountain lion.
- If you encounter a mountain lion, do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to look bigger by waving your arms; throw rocks or other objects.
- Pick up small children.
- If attacked, fight back.
- If a mountain lion attacks a person, immediately call 911.
For more information visit https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild/Lion.
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