OCEANSIDE, Calif. — If you live in Oceanside - watch out - there's a mountain lion walking through the streets. The big cat has been spotted three times, twice in the bustling downtown area.
Oceanside police released videos to CBS 8 that show the cat walking in the Civic Center parking garage on North Coast Highway and crossing the street to the Regal Cinemas Movie Theater on Mission Avenue around 1 a.m. Thursday morning. The last unconfirmed sighting was in Rancho Del Oro.
Megan Senour with the California Department of Wildlife and Fish says mountain lion sightings don’t happen often. They're also typically afraid of people, she added.
Senour also says although they haven’t been able to confirm, they believe there is only one mountain lion involved in the sightings. She said she believes the mountain lion is heading back to where it belongs after the last sighting in Rancho Del Oro.
Here are a list of tips to remember if you see a mountain lion:
- Do not run.
- Protect your pets and small kids because they are most at risk.
- Keep your pets on leash and indoors if possible. If not, put them in an enclosure or shelter at night.
- Keep barnyard animals fully enclosed from dusk until dawn.
- Don't feed wildlife like deer, raccoons or feral cats because they attract hungry mountain lions.
- Don’t approach or feed the wildlife. Give it space and respect.
What you need to know if you’re out hiking:
- Stay out of the wildlife habitats during low light.
- Keep pets on a leash and within 6 feet.
- Don't run. Face the animal, make noise and make yourself look bigger, then walk away.
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