Elusive predator casually strolls near downtown street in California town. See it
A rarely-seen creature was spotted on a home surveillance camera taking a late-night downtown stroll in a California town.
The video shows a mountain lion roaming right near the town’s Main Street just before 2 a.m., Vacaville Police said on Facebook.
It casually strolls down a parking lot sidewalk just on the other side of a home’s fence before wandering off into the empty street.
“The City of Vacaville is issuing a public safety alert, following a confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in downtown Vacaville,” the department said in the Friday, Aug. 23 post.
The resident’s camera recorded the mountain lion on Aug. 17, but the resident didn’t notice it until recently, the department said.
Residents should “remain vigilant and avoid approaching the animal if spotted,” police said. That goes for mountain lions as well as other large wildlife, the department said.
The department encouraged residents to keep pets and children indoors, especially at night and to secure garbage and/or food sources that could attract wildlife. Pet owners should also keep their animals on a leash when walking outside.
Any residents who spot a mountain lion should:
Pick up small children without bending over
Resist the urge to run away and instead back away slowly without turning your back to the predator
Make noise and make sure the animal has a clear escape route
Leave it alone and don’t attempt to confront or capture it
The department asked anyone who sees a mountain lion to report it to the department at 707-499-5200 or contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at 916-258-2917 or online at wildlife.ca.gov.
Despite the alert, residents didn’t seem too concerned in the comments.
Some joked about wanting to interact with it.
“My toxic trait is I believe I could domesticate this one,” someone said.
“Just know that I died going ‘here kitty kitty,’” another person joked.
Others took a more serious tone and discussed the reasons behind why the mountain lion may have ventured into town. Several people pointed out it was probably just looking for water and food.
“This is what happens when we start building on their land,” someone said. “Seeing this more and more.”
“Keep putting more homes in Vacaville they are running out of space (for) them to hunt,” another person said.
“Beautiful cat…too bad his habitat is getting smaller,” someone said.
Vacaville is about a 35-mile drive southwest of Sacramento.
This story was originally published August 29, 2024 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Elusive predator casually strolls near downtown street in California town. See it."
