A San Elijo Hills resident of Sagewood has reported a mountain lion sighting today in San Elijo Hills. The residents was jogging up to the ridgeline trail entering off Lighthouse Road around 11AM Monday.
Resident writes:
“As I was going up the long steep part with the railing on the side, I noticed an adult sized mountain lion making its way down along the opposite side of the railing. Once it saw me it ran off into bushes and I assume it made its way down towards the ravine. “
The following safety tips are provided by the California Department of Fish and Game. They are based on studies of mountain behavior and analysis of attacks by mountain lions.
- Don’t hike alone.
- Go in groups, with adults supervising children an keep children close to you.
- Observations of captured mountain lions reveal that the animals seem especially drawn to children.
- Keep children within your sight at all times.
- Don’t approach a lion.
- Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation.
- Give them a way to escape.
- Don’t run from a lion.
- Running stimulates a mountain lion’s instinct to chase.
- Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact.
- If you have small children with you, pick them up if possible so that they don’t panic and run.
- Although it may be awkward, pick them up without bending over or turning away from the lion.
- Don’t crouch or bend over.
- A squatting or bending person looks a lot like a four-legged prey animal.
- Do all you can to appear larger.
- Raise your arms.
- Open your jacket if you are wearing one.
- Throw stones, branches or whatever you can reach without crouching or turning your back.
- Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice.
- Fight back if attacked. Some hikers have fought back successfully with sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools and their bare hands.
- Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the attacking animal.
- For more information about mountain lions, contact the Department of Fish and Game (DFG), case of emergency call 911 and DFG at 916-445-0045
I spotted an adult mountain lion at 4:15 this morning while running on San Elijo Rd towards Rancho Santa Fe. After passing the gas station, the animal crossed from my right, approximately 15 feet in front of me and ran across San Elijo Road towards a dirt path near the condos by Albertson’s.
While running on the Ridgeline Trail, near the abandoned homes at the end of wild canyon drive at 5:30 am this morning, I spotted a deer. I run the hills in the early morning daily and haven’t seen a deer since last October when there were multiple mountain lion sightings. When deer are back in the area, so are the mountain lions.
we spotted a mountain lion on monday at 6:30 am. We were going up twin oaks passing the university on the left there’s a small lake. The lion was walking by it. We pulled over with our emergency light but it ran off. A couple yards up the trail i spotted a bunch of tracks. Took a picture and called fish and game